The Three Rings of Marriage
by dracos-beautygirl
Summary: This engagement ring I give as promise. This wedding ring I give as commitment. This suffering I give as my undying hatred and passion for your body and for your soul. Rating only for some chapters. By popular demand, the sequel will be For You, I Will
1. The Engagement: The Deal

"I told you Ron! Of course I'm coming to the Burrow with you and Ginny!!" Ron smiled in relief and Ginny laughed. Hermione leaned back in her seat and turned to Harry. "Are you coming, too?" He shrugged.

"Depends on if the Dursley's decide to lock me up or throw me out." Ginny smiled and patted his arm.

"I'm sure the Dursley's want to get rid of you as much as you want to leave them." Everyone laughed as Harry smiled. Then, Ron stopped, tilting his head to the side.

"Trolley!!" he exclaimed and rushed for the door, throwing it open without paying attention. Unfortunately, he ran right into someone he really shouldn't have.

The black boy swore softly and shoved Ron off of him.

"Watch it, Weasley!" he snapped, standing. The other young man that was with him eyed the redhead critically.

"You can't really blame him, Blaise," Malfoy said. "With those legs, he probably does it all the time. I blame it on bad breeding. Or just the sheer fact that he's uncordinated as hell." Ron leapt to his feet, face red.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" he hissed and Zambini laughed.

"I'm sure that you don't have anything that could possibly tempt Draco Malfoy to want. Well, nothing he wants, but has to have anyway." This earned Zambini an punch to the face. Hermione and Ginny gasped as Malfoy glared at his fellow Slytherin.

"You'd do well not to say anything more, Zambini," the blond growled as the other young man stood, rubbing his jaw carefully. Swearing under his breath, he stalked off. Malfoy's gaze landed on Hermione and his eyes narrowed. "Ms. Granger." Hermione almost fell over from shock. He eyed her again and swept off after Zambini. Ron's eyes were wide with shock.

"Did he just say-"

"Ms. Granger?!?" Hermione cried. Ginny shook her head.

"He is so messed up." They all nodded and the boys headed down the corridor, looking for the trolley.

* * *

Blaise entered an empty compartment, still rubbing his jaw. A few seconds later, Draco entered and closed the door. Than he pulled out his wand and waved it at the injured boy. The bruise went away and Blaise scowled at him. 

"I resent being hit like that," he snapped. Draco didn't reply and sat down next to the window. Blaise watched him silently. "This whole thing is getting to you, isn't it?" Draco turned to him, still silent. "Well, I don't blame you. I don't believe your father is making you do this."

"Father has his reasons," Draco muttered, turning back to the window. Blaise tilted his head.

"Something happen that I didn't hear?" Silence greeted him and Blaise laughed. "You called her by something suitable, I presume?" Draco turned back to his friend. Sometimes, he didn't understand the way Blaise's mind worked. Somehow, he always knew what happened to Draco even when Draco hadn't said a thing. He had a talent for that. He could tell what happened to a person just by observing them for a few seconds. Snorting, he looked back to the window. "The Slytherin Prince, who knew."

"Drop it, Blaise, before I hurt you again." The blonde and black boy sat in silence for the rest of the trip. There wasn't really much to talk about, anyway.

* * *

Stepping off the train, Hermione walked with Ron and Harry through the pillar into the muggle world. She turned to them, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

"Ok, so I go to my house and pack some stuff," she said. Ron nodded.

"Then you floo to my house and stay for the summer," he finished, smiling. Harry coughed and Ron flushed, shoving him nervously. Hermione grinned and hugged Harry.

"Hope to see you soon, Harry," she said. Ginny pulled her into a hug.

"We'll see you soon, Hermione," she said and Hermione nodded. Then she turned to Ron and pulled him into a tight hug.

"See you soon, 'Mione," he mumbled into her ear and she blushed.

"See you soon, Ron," she whispered back, kissing him on the cheek and hurrying off before she could see his reaction. Finding her parents, she noticed a grave look on their faces. "Hi mum!! Dad!!" They hugged her tightly, more than normal. She could tell that they were trying to act normal, but she wasn't fooled. She frowned, standing back. "What's wrong?" Her mother glanced around.

"Let's head home and we'll explain there," she told her daughter.

"Take her home and we'll have to explain," her father grumbled.

"Harold!" Hermione's mother snapped, glancing around. "Not now. You know what he said." Her father grumbled something and, taking his daughter's trunk, he walked off towards the car. Hermione stared after him and then turned to her mother.

"Mum, what's up with dad?" A painful look flitted across mother's face.

"Let's get home, dear. I promise you, everything will be told then."

* * *

Blaise looked around his surroundings, frowning. 

"Why am I here again?" he asked for the thousandth time. Draco glared at him.

"So that I don't hex everything I see," he snapped. They were standing in the middle of a nicely furnished living room. Pictures hung on the walls and on the mantelpiece. Light shone through the open windows as another, older man entered the room, scowling.

"Where are they?" he snarled, shoving Blaise out of the way so he could see the window. "They should have been here earlier!"

"They'll be here, father," Draco grumbled. "Though I hope not." Lucius glared at his son.

"For your sake." Draco took the hint and backed away from the window, avoiding contact with any of the furniture that might have been touched by the muggles. He shuddered, thinking about what he was about to be thrown into.

Blaise grabbed Draco's arm as his hand began to stray towards his wand.

"Don't do it, Malfoy," he hissed. Draco glared and yanked away, storming out of the room.

* * *

The car pulled into the driveway and turned off. Hermione smiled as she got out. She hadn't been here for so long. She glanced at her parents, who were getting her trunk out of the car. Something was wrong with them. They were acting strangely all the way home and were doing all they could to avoid conversation. Normally her mother was asking her all kinds of questions about what had happened but no, she had been silent. Her father had grumbled all the way, saying few words. It was obvious that something was troubling him greatly and it was obvious that her mother was incredibly upset with whatever it was he had done. 

Shrugging it off, she headed for the door and pulled out her keys. Opening the door, she stepped in and froze. Something was wrong. Turning around, she saw her parents behind her. They looked like they wanted to pull her out of the house immediately and slam the door. But they didn't. Instead the beckonned her to continue into the house. Something was indeed wrong. Continuing in, she turned into the living room and gasped. The man turned around and smirked.

"Ms. Granger, how nice of you to join us. Please, sit." Someone shoved her forward and into a chair. Reaching for her wand, she found herself face to face withone. Blaise was smiling devilishly.

"Don't even think about it, Granger," he said, motioning downwards with his wand. She sat in the chair, eyes wide with fright.

_What's going on!_ she thought. Lucius Malfoy stood before her, arms crossed over his chest.

"I do believe you know my son, Draco," he said and Hermione's eyes widened even more as she watched Draco Malfoy slink into the room, looking like he would rather be dead than be there at that moment. "You see, I'm here on business. A debt, you see."

"I haven't done anything to you!" Hermione yelled at him. "What do you want with me and my family?" Luciu raised an eyebrow.

"My dear child, who said _you_ did anything? No, the debt is your father's. Harold? Would you come here?" Hermione's father came in slowly, not looking at his daughter. Lucius' smirk grew. "You see, at the beginning of the term, Dumbledore _asked_ the parents of the students to meet each other." The way he said asked implied that Dumbledore didn't ask Lucius. "We were to mingle, if you would. Well, to your father's misfortune, he happened upon a chance game of Wizards' gambling. And, as you know, Ms. Granger, Wizards' gambling is not wagered upon money, but family members. Of course, an argument broke out and your father laid down yourself as a gamble. A bad choice on his part but...he lost, of course and now, you belong to me." Hermione stared at him like he had lost his mind.

"You're joking, aren't you? You're MAD!!" Malfoy actually laughed.

"You wish, mudblood."

"Language, Draco," Lucius corrected, but you could tell he was thinking the same thing. "No Ms. Granger, this is no joke. I would tell you to ask your father, but he seems distraught as it is, so I would rather not. As it is, there were terms that another player made that both your father and I were not aware of until after I won. It seems that not only do you belong to me, but you and my son, which happened to be in on the wager, are to be married." Hermione's eyes widened as Malfoy snorted and stalked to the window, glaring out it.

"You cannot be serious," she said, standing. "All of you are insane. This isn't happening. This isn't possible!! Why would you do something so completely stupid like that?!?!" Lucius' hand twitched but his smirk remained.

"Harold, will you show your daughter the contract made between the players of that particular game of Wizards' gambling," he snapped. Harold, still not looking at his distraught daughter, stepped forward and handed her a piece of paper. She stared at it, eyes wide.

"_The following is a contract forged between the players of Wizards' gambling:_

_As a player in this game, I have placed down my posessions in the following: Housemaid Marie, Daughter, Hermione Granger, and Son, Draco Malfoy._

_As a player, I acknowledge the fact that I may lose/obtain said posessions. _

_One of the players has chosen to place down a Marriage Bet for said Daughter and said Son. The winner of said posessions is responsible for seeing to it that the said Daughter and Son be married after the sixth month of the said Daughter's sixteenth birthday, as the said Daughter is attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Signed, _

_Lucius Malfoy, Alex Smith, Draco Malfoy, and Harold Granger_

_The afore mentioned are magically bound to the writing and what has been stated must come to pass._

_Decree of his most highness ect."_

Hermione couldn't believe what she had just read. This wasn't happening to her. She was supposed to go to the Burrow and spend the summer with Ron, not get married to her worst enemy.

She reached for her wand and pointed it at Lucius.

"Get out of my house," she hissed, her heart racing. Lucius shook his head and murmured something. Hermione's wand flew from her hand and into his. He shook his finger at her.

"Naughty, naughty," he said. "The contract is binding. Even you can see that, Ms. Granger. You will pack your things and come with us to Malfoy Manor. You and Draco are to be married tomorrow evening." Hermione was shaking.

_This is NOT happening,_ her mind screamed. Her eyes rested on her mother, silently begging her to reasure her that this was just some horrible joke that Malfoy had just happened to be pulled into. Her mother had tears in her eyes and turned away from her daughter, hand over her mouth in horror. A sob escaped Hermione's lips and she sank down into the couch. Lucius glared and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet.

"Look, you filthy little mudblood," he hissed. "I do not have time for your antics. Get Ready!"

"Don't touch her!" Her mother yelled, moving forward but was met with Blaise's wand.

"I wouldn't if I were you," he growled. Lucius threw her forward towards the stairs.

"Get ready, Ms. Granger, or suffer consequences far greater than the ones you are about to face." Hermione stumbled up the stairs, crying silently.

"Death would be better than what I'm about to face," she whispered. Malfoy watched her, no emotion in his face.

"Think of this as a detour," he murmured, grey eyes piercing her chocolate brown ones. "A really bad detour."


	2. The Engagement: The Manor

**Recap:**

This is NOT happening_, her mind screamed. Her eyes rested on her mother, silently begging her to reasure her that this was just some horrible joke that Malfoy had just happened to be pulled into. Her mother had tears in her eyes and turned away from her daughter, hand over her mouth in horror. A sob escaped Hermione's lips and she sank down into the couch. Lucius glared and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet._

_"Look, you filthy little mudblood," he hissed. "I do not have time for your antics. Get Ready!"_

_"Don't touch her!" Her mother yelled, moving forward but was met with Blaise's wand._

_"I wouldn't if I were you," he growled. Lucius threw her forward towards the stairs._

_"Get ready, Ms. Granger, or suffer consequences far greater than the ones you are about to face." Hermione stumbled up the stairs, crying silently._

_"Death would be better than what I'm about to face," she whispered. Malfoy watched her, no emotion in his face._

_"Think of this as a detour," he murmured, grey eyes piercing her chocolate brown ones. "A really bad detour."_

* * *

Hermione stared around her room, choking down her own broken sobs. She had been placed in a large guest room which was pretty much empty except for the four-poster bed and desk. Her trunk sat like a tiny omen in the corner. Wiping her eyes, she sat by the window, legs pulled up under her chin as she continued to cry.

_How could dad do this to me?_ she thought. _How could he make a deal like that with his own daughter?_

The door opened and a tall, blonde woman stepped in, robed in a deep blue dress. She closed the door behind her and eyed Hermione. She didn't seem hostile, only curious.

"So this is my daughter in law?" she said, standing in front of the girl. Hermione glared up at the woman.

"Go away!" she yelled. "You've ruined my life enough!!" The woman laughed.

"My dear child," Narcissa whispered, kneeling down so she was at eye level with the younger woman. "Do not think for one moment that I do not know what you are going through. I was too forcibly placed into this family without my opinion." Hermione scooted away from her.

"Please," she whispered. "Just leave me alone." Narcissa nodded and left the room, locking it behind her. Heading down the wide halls of the expansive Malfoy Manor, she entered the Library. She paused, seeing that it was already occupied.

Draco glanced at his mother then back to his father.

"Can we do this later?" he growled. Lucius glared at him but motioned him out nevertheless. Narcissa watched her son leave and then sat down at one of the desks. Lucius eyed her.

"What?" She leaned back in her chair.

"Our son is not pleased?" Lucius snorted.

"Right. He doesn't have a choice."

"They have a history, him and the girl."

"Well, he'll have to deal with that."

"She's still sixteen."

"You were fifteen."

"She's innocent, Lucius." The man frowned.

"What do you mean?" Narcissa raised an eyebrow.

"Must I spell it out for you?" Lucius immediately understood and shifted.

"Tell Draco."

"It won't make a difference. If anything, it will make it worse."

"Why?"

"You know how he is with women, Lucius!! He'll kill her the first night!"

"How do you know she's a virgin?" Narcissa laughed.

"I've seen enough womem pass through my son's door to know better. She's very much innocent. Poor girl, she doesn't know what men are capable of, nevertheless Draco. The boy...he has a lust that is not normal."

"He's seventeen."

"He's a Malfoy. That explains it. Wilfred!" A house elf popped into the room.

"Ma'am called?" it shrilled.

"Get my son. I must speak with him." The house elf bowed and popped away. A minute later, Draco walked in.

"Mother?" She eyed him apprehensively.

"How much do you know of this girl?" Draco's lip curled.

"Enough to make me puke. Why?"

"She's a virgin, Draco." Draco stared at her for a moment and a wicked smirk replaced his look of disgust.

"Is she?" Lucius glared at the young man.

"Draco, she will be-"

"My wife, yes yes I know!" Draco snapped at him. "That doesn't make it anyless different." Narcissa stood.

"Draco, you can't hurt her."

"I can if she belongs to me," he hissed. "Don't give me that bullshit, mother. Let me tend to my issues and stay out of it. The little mudblood is the cause of all this and I'll do what I can to make her realize that." He turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. Narcissa glanced at her husband.

"This is all your fault," she whispered.

* * *

Hermione found herself in the courtyard of the mansion. They had let her out and she had found her way to a place where she could think. Sitting down by the fountain, she stared at her reflection.

"Look what you've gotten yourself into, Hermione," she whispered. "Look what you have to do...O God, help me..."

"Not even God could help you, Granger." Hermione spun around, standing quickly. Draco stepped forward out of the shadows, standing next to her. He glanced at her. "Besides, at least you found out today. I've known forever." She glared at him.

"Why don't you go jump off a tower, Malfoy," she snapped, turning to leave.

"Oh, are we missing Weasley. I know you and him had a thing going. Isn't that a shame. _I'm_ the one separating you two. I really should jump off a tower." She whirled around and her hand came up. He caught it, smirking. "Struck a nerve, haven't I?" She yanked away and made to shove him but he grabbed her arm, spun her around and pulled her into him, her arms behind her back. She was now staring at the far yard as she felt his warm breath on her neck and ear. "You want to hear something interesting my mother told me earlier today. My mother told me that you were a virgin." Hermione's breath caught in her throat. "Is it true, Granger? You've never been...touched..." His hand was straying lower on her body. "I can't wait to take that away from you." She was shaking violently as he spun her around, yanking her roughly into his chest.

"Stay away from me, Malfoy," she whispered. He smirked.

"Want to keep yourself pure for our wedding night, Granger? Or do you want to do it right now?" She tried to get away from him, but he was almost 6'7" and she was only 5'5". His grip was much stronger than hers. He leaned closer, his lips to her ear. "Are you scared Granger? After all, I am the one whose going to be taking away the most sacred thing a girl holds." He heard her sob and he grinned.

"Draco Lucius!" He pulled away from her swifty, as if she had bitten him. Narcissa stood in the doorway, glaring at her son. Draco glanced at Hermione, who was holding herself and crying. He walked away from her, no longer interested. Narcissa came out and sat down beside Hermione. "Shhh," she whispered, stroking the girl's hair. "Don't pay attention to him. He doesn't want this as much as you don't."

"Then why are we doing this?" Hermione sobbed. Narcissa sighed.

"Because there isn't anything else we can do for you dear. I'm so sorry, child. I really am truly sorry for this."


	3. The Marriage: The Beginning

**Recap:**

_"Stay away from me, Malfoy," she whispered. He smirked._

_"Want to keep yourself pure for our wedding night, Granger? Or do you want to do it right now?" She tried to get away from him, but he was almost 6'7" and she was only 5'5". His grip was much stronger than hers. He leaned closer, his lips to her ear. "Are you scared Granger? After all, I am the one whose going to be taking away the most sacred thing a girl holds." He heard her sob and he grinned._

_"Draco Lucius!" He pulled away from her swifty, as if she had bitten him. Narcissa stood in the doorway, glaring at her son. Draco glanced at Hermione, who was holding herself and crying. He walked away from her, no longer interested. Narcissa came out and sat down beside Hermione. "Shhh," she whispered, stroking the girl's hair. "Don't pay attention to him. He doesn't want this as much as you don't."_

_"Then why are we doing this?" Hermione sobbed. Narcissa sighed._

_"Because there isn't anything else we can do for you dear. I'm so sorry, child. I really am truly sorry for this."_

_

* * *

_

Hermione woke up the next morning and began sobbing even harder than the night before. It was supposed to be a nightmare. It wasn't.

Narcissa opened the door and found the poor girl on the bed, face burried in her pillow. The three housemaids followed her, closing the door behind them. Narcissa sat down on the edge of the bed.

"My dear, you must get up. You have a big day ahead of you and it's almost noon. The wedding begins in four hours."

"Is there a way that you could kill me?" Hermione whispered, sitting up and staring at the blonde woman. "I can't do this. He's my enemy! We hate each other! I can't lose myself to him!!!" Narcissa hugged the young woman and stood.

"Come dear, a nice bath, a manicure, pedicure and a facial will set all to right. Or some, anyway."

* * *

Draco stood on a stool, watching as several house elves tended to his robes. A few housemaids were fixing his hair and his shoes. Lucius stood in the shadows, leaning against the wall.

"You remember the arrangement," he drawled. "After the ceremony, there will be the reception. And then the wedding night." Draco shot a nasty look at the man.

"Are my relatives to be expected?" Lucius shook his head.

"No relatives. Just family friends. Attendance is at 200."

"Remarkable."

"Just remember your vows."

"What vows? To love and protect that wench? I don't think so."

"You will say what I had written for you." Draco stepped down from the stool and looked at himself in the mirror.

"This is going to be the worst day of my life." Lucius smiled.

"That's what I said when I married your mother."

"Do my relatives know that she's a-"

"No. And we prefer it to stay that way for the time being." Draco glanced at his watch and sighed.

"Where's Blaise?"

"Here." The black boy walked in, wearing dark dress robes. "Ready?"

"No."

"Good."

* * *

The last guest was escorted into their seats and the music began to play. Draco stood by the altar, Blaise, Crabbe and a boy named Cory behind him. Goyle couldn't make it. The door swung open and even Draco stopped breathing.

Hermione stood in the doorway, dressed in an ivory, sleeveless dress that fit her snugly around the torso and flowed around her at the skirt. Her hair was made up intricately, with white roses in them. A silver band held the veil that draped in front of her face.

She was beautiful.

She began down the aisle and it was immediately apparent to Blaise that she was crying, though nobody else noticed. He leaned forward towards Draco.

"She's not happy about this," he whispered. Draco glared at him.

"I would expect as much, Blaise," he snapped.

Tears streamed down her face as she arrived at the altar and the music stopped. For what seemed like an eternity, the pastor spoke and then there came the vows.

Draco took a deep breath, turning to her.

"There is no vow that I can give that would be the truth," he began. "All that I can promise you is the protection I owe you and the devotion to you and only you. No other woman shall pass through me." Hermione bit her lip, staring at her dress skirt.

"I have no vow to make," she whispered. "I can only promise..." She couldn't continue. Draco leaned forward so that only she could hear.

"Finish it, Granger," he hissed and she looked up into his eyes.

"I can only promise my innocence and my devotion," she murmured. Their eyes were locked and neither could look away. The pastor nodded.

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Draco glanced at him and then back at Hermione. He leaned in, their lips a hair's breadth apart.

"Know this, mudblood," he murmured. "I own you now. But my feeling about you have not changed." Their lips met and Hermione let out a sob.

* * *

Hermione hid in the courtyard for the remainder of the evening. She found comfort in a wedding present that had been given. A kitten she had named Jesiphire.

Sitting by the fountain, she stroked the purring thing, letting tears run down her eyes. On her hand, glimmering in the darkness, was the wedding band.

"Hermione, dear." She looked up to see Narcissa before her, a sad look on her face. "You must come now, dear." Sobbing, she put down the kitten and followed her mother-in-law into the house. They went up a flight of stairs and down a corridor Hermione didn't recognise. Stopping before a door, Narcissa knocked and opened the door.

Blaise stood from his seat, glancing at Hermione.

"We'll talk tomorrow," he said and swept out. Draco glanced at Hermione and sat down at his desk, pulling out quill and parchment. Narcissa pushed the girl into the room and closed it. Hermione bit her lip at hearing the ominous click of the lock. Moving towards the window, she kept her eyes on Draco. He made no effort in acknowledging her as he wrote his letter. Turning out the window, she stared out onto the expansive, dark grounds.

"God keep me," she prayed, eyes closed.

"I hope he does." Her breath caught and her eyes snapped open. His breath was on her neck and his hands ran up and down her bare ones. She was shaking again as his lips touched her neck. "I love uncharted territory," he whispered huskily and she turned around, backing up. Unfortunately, she backed up right into the bed and he pushed her onto it. She squeaked and tried to get away but he grabbed her, holding her arms above her head. He placed a burning trail of kisses down her neck as he listened to her ragged breathing.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered.

"Why not?" she gasped, tears pouring down her face. "You'll hurt me." He smirked at her.

"Only if you struggle."

* * *

Hermione gasped, her nails digging into his arms. He growled and bit down on her neck.

"Draco, stop!!" she screamed and he bit down harder.

"What the hell is it?" he snarled. He wasn't used to being stopped.

"I can barely breathe," she gasped out.

"That's the point," he growled.

Several minutes more and then he moved off of her. She was shaking as he continued kissing her shoulders and neck. She bit her lip.

"Tha...that wa..."

"Don't speak, Hermione," he hissed. She turned to him, frightened.

"You felt it?" He glared at her.

"I told you not to," he snarled.

"But you felt it!!" she insisted and he grabbed her roughly, straddling her.

"Nothing changes, Hermione," he snarled into her ear. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" she whispered into his ear and he turned to look at her. What was going on here? What were they doing? This wasn't supposed to happen, especially not with a mudblood.

"Are you up for another go, mudblood?"


	4. The Marriage: The City

**Recap:**

_"You felt it?" He glared at her._

_"I told you not to," he snarled._

_"But you felt it!!" she insisted and he grabbed her roughly, straddling her._

_"Nothing changes, Hermione," he snarled into her ear. "Nothing."_

_"Nothing?" she whispered into his ear and he turned to look at her. What was going on here? What were they doing? This wasn't supposed to happen, especially not with a mudblood._

_"Are you up for another go, mudblood?"_

_

* * *

_

Maria, one of the housemaids, looked up from setting out toast to see her young master, Draco, stumble into the kitchen, running his hands through his deep blonde hair. He was only wearing a pair of plaid drawstring cotton pants and he looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep. She smiled at him as he sat down at the island table.

"Goodmorning, sir," she greeted, glancing at the clock. It was about ten in the morning. "Did you sleep well?" He glared at her and started buttering a piece of toast, muttering to himself. Narcissa came in, a robe around her. She sat down across from her son and Maria brought her a cup of coffee.

"How was your night, Draco?" Narcissa asked, winking at Maria. Draco gave her a death glare also, but didn't respond. "You weren't rough with her, were you?" As if in response to the question, Hermione decided to show up. She stumbled down the stairs to the second landing and fell to her knees. She struggled to stand and only managed to tumble to the bottom of the stairs. Narcissa's eyes widened and she motioned Maria over. Maria helped Hermione to her feet but it was apparent that she couldn't really walk by herself. Her legs were wobbling as if made of jelly as Maria helped her into a seat next to Narcissa. Draco watched her in silent apprehension. Narcissa glared at him, rubbing her daughter-in-law's back comfortingly.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, what have you done to her?! I said easy!! EASY!!"

"She didn't seem to mind last night," Draco growled as Maria poured a cup of tea for Hermione. She was staring down at her plate, face red and tearstained. Draco eyed her for a second and then leaned over. She jumped and fell out of the chair. She tried to stand, but her legs were still too weak. Draco smiled and got up, helping her back into her chair. She looked up at him and he stared back. "I'm sure you didn't mind last night," he said again and she blushed, turning away to her tea. He sat back down, not saying anything more.

A house elf popped into the room. "Mr. Zambini to see you sir," it squeaked and Draco nodded. The door to the hall opened and Blaise strolled in. He caught sight of Draco and then Hermione and snickered. Sitting down next to Draco, he watched Hermione for a moment.

"You enjoyed it?" It wasn't really a question, as he already knew, but still. She blushed even more and rested her head on the counter. Blaise laughed and Draco nudged him.

"Not now, Blaise," he snapped, standing. "I'll meet you outside in five. Mother. Gran..._Hermione_."

Blaise waited down by the lake and sniggered when Draco appeared.

"You liked it didn't you?" He was rewarded with a death glare. "How good was it?" Another death glare made him laugh. "I don't believe it!! A mudblood actually-" Draco's wand was in his face and he sniggered.

"Finish the sentence," Draco grated through clenched teeth and Blaise shoved the wand away, still laughing. They had begun walking back up to the manor when Narcissa and Hermione showed up.

"Why don't you all go into London today?" Narcissa recommended. "I have things to do and so does your father. Take Hermione clothes shopping. She needs some new things, poor thing." Hermione was staring off into the distance and only came back to earth when Narcissa disappeared back into the house. Blaise glanced at Draco.

"Won't we be seen in London?" he asked and Draco shrugged, heading down to the garage house. Hermione followed and gasped when he opened the side door. The room was huge and stored cars from different decades and ones she didn't even know were on the market yet. Motorcycles were against the wall, shining from the sun.

Grabbing three helmets from a shelf, he tossed Blaise one and handed another to Hermione. He also handed her a black windbreaker. Her eyes widened.

"I don't ride, Malfoy," she told him and he laughed. Blaise got onto a dark green Harley, shrugging off his robes, under which he was wearing muggle clothing. Draco was also wearing muggle clothes. He put on the helmet, pushing up the visor. He got onto a black Harley with silver snakes etched into it.

"Get on, mudblood," he said and she glared at him.

"I'm not riding that thing." Blaise's laugh came from behind the dark visor.

"Well then, you can stay here," he said, his voice muffled. "But I don't think you want to be left alone with your in-laws." Draco smirked as Hermione grudgingly got on, putting on the helmet.

"I didn't think Malfoys were interested in muggle stuff." Draco turned back to her.

"Not everything muggles make is totally useless, mudblood. Take yourself for instance." She found herself blushing for about the millionth time that morning, pushing down her visor so that he couldn't see.

One of the garage doors opened and they shot out. Hermione hold on Draco's waist tightened as she pressed herself into his back. She felt his muscles tighten and then relax, but ignored it.

They had been going down a few roads before hitting a main street heading into London. Stopping at a traffic light, Hermione looked around and saw several children on the curb watching them with curiousity. Smiling to herself, she held on as the motorcycle shot forward. They entered London and rode around until finding a parking place. Getting off, Hermione took off the helmet, shaking her hair out of her face. Draco took Blaise's helmet and put them into a comparment under Hermione's seat. It was obviously magical, because all three helmets fit into the tiny space. Looking around, she saw that they were in front of a cafe. Turning back to Draco, she followed him and Blaise to a table outside.

They ordered soon after and Hermione looked around.

"London's not that interesting, Hermione," Draco said, leaning back in his chair. She eyed him critically.

"That's the second time you've said my name," she told him. Blaise snorted.

"When's the other time? Last ni-OW!!" He glared at his blonde friend, who was studying a pair of girls a few tables down. Hermione rolled her eyes. Even married, he was still a player. Blaise got up. "Excuse me, but business calls." He then headed over and sat with the two girls, who giggled and leaned towards him. Hermione stared down at her hands and realized for the first time that something was wrong.

"I don't have a ring," she told him, looking up. He glanced at her.

"So?"

"I'm supposed to have one, aren't I?"

"Do you want one?"

"No! I was just wondering..." They were silent and then Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out a chain. Attatched to it was a slim wedding band. He held it out to her.

"Wear it around your neck if you don't want it on your finger," he grumbled. She stared at it.

"Why didn't you give it to me last night?" He shrugged.

"Wasn't really thinking about that, now was I?" he growled, standing.

"Where are you going?"

"To powder my nose." She watched him disappear into the cafe and sighed, turning back to the chain. She put it around her neck and tucked it into her shirt.

"Excuse me, miss, but this is for you." A waiter placed a drink on the table. Hermione frowned.

"I didn't order this."

"Not you, ma'am. The three men over there sent if over for you." Hermione looked up to see three men several tables down glancing over.

"Thank you," she said and the waiter left. Looking down at the drink, she immediately recognized it as alcoholic.

"You don't mind that it's got alcohol in it, do you?" Hermione, startled, looked back up to see the three men standing there. She smiled wanly.

"I don't drink, but it's the thought that counts," she said and they sat down at her table.

"I'm Matthew, this is Greg and Collin," the tall, brown haired one said.

"I'm Hermione," she said._ Am I flirting? I'm married! Yeah, to a lunatic..._

"I guess you're here with those two guys," the one named Collin said. Hermione nodded. She noticed Blaise looking over.

"You dating one of them?" Matthew asked, scooting closer.

"Yes, so get the hell up." Hermione jumped and flushed at seeing Draco standing behind her, arms folded over his chest. Greg glared.

"I don't believe we were talking to you, you prat," he snapped. Draco stepped towards him.

"What the hell are you going to do about it? She's with us, so stay away from her."

"Or what?" Collin snarled. Hermoine lept to her feet.

"Stop it, all of you!" she cried. She turned apologetically to the three men. "I'm sorry, but I am with them." Draco raised an eyebrow, but she ignored him. The men grumbled something and stalked off down the street and out of sight. Hermione sat back down, glancing at Draco. He sat down, motioning for Blaise, who had been about to come over, to stay with the girls.

"What was that, mudblood?" he hissed. Hermione looked out on the street.

"Nothing." He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"It had better be the last nothing," he whispered dangerously, eyes cold as ice.


	5. The Marriage: The Train

**Recap:**

_"What the hell are you going to do about it? She's with us, so stay away from her."_

_"Or what?" Collin snarled. Hermoine lept to her feet._

_"Stop it, all of you!" she cried. She turned apologetically to the three men. "I'm sorry, but I am with them." Draco raised an eyebrow, but she ignored him. The men grumbled something and stalked off down the street and out of sight. Hermione sat back down, glancing at Draco. He sat down, motioning for Blaise, who had been about to come over, to stay with the girls._

_"What was that, mudblood?" he hissed. Hermione looked out on the street._

_"Nothing." He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him._

_"It had better be the last nothing," he whispered dangerously, eyes cold as ice._

* * *

Draco rolled over in bed, face burried in honey brown frizz. 

"You need to learn to tame this damn hair of yours, muggle," he grumbled into it. The woman in the bed with him groaned and scooted closer to him.

"It's not my fault it's so humid in here." Draco laughed softly, kissing her neck.

"It's always your fault, muggle." They were silent and Hermione shifted around. There was a purring sound and Draco moaned.

"Damn it, Hermione!" He opened his eyes, sitting up in the bed. It was still pretty dark in the room but he could still see his stupid wife laying there next to him with her stupid kitten with her. "Can't you leave that thing in your room?" he snapped. She still had her eyes closed as she stroked Jesiphire.

"You got rid of Crookshanks, remember?" He snarled at her and turned over onto his back. Her arm draped over his waist and he felt skin and fur on his back.

"You need to leave that thing in your room," he grumbled. She mumbled something but it was muffled. They fell back asleep, the kitten sleeping at the foot of their bed.

* * *

"Get up, young Master Malfoy!! You must be going to Hogwarts now!!" 

"Go away, you blasted house elf. Leave me alone."

"But you must get up!!"

"FINE!! GET OUT!" He threw a pillow at the creature but it had already popped out. Hermione rolled out of bed and walked over to the bathroom. Draco got up and followed her in. She tried to push him out, but he growled at her. He turned on the Wizarding radio and, shrugging off his clothes, got into the shower and turned on the water. Hermione got in with him only after steam had swamped the entire bathroom. He rested his head against the wall and let her rub shampoo into his hair.

They had developed a schedule after a few weeks of marriage that Hermione had gotten used to. She was still hating the fact that she was actually married to her enemy, but it didn't bother her as much as it used to. The whole shower thing, however, hadn't gone over very well the first time Draco had proposed it. She was still slightly hesitant about it, but it wasn't entirely unwanted.

After thirty minutes, they got out and dressed. Draco wore a pair of knee length camouflage shorts with a black shirt with a lunging cobra on it. Hermione dressed in a white knee-length skirt, red tanktop and red flip-flops. She stood in front of the bedroom mirror, fixing her hair when Draco came up behind her. He rested his chin on her shoulder, arms around her waist. She continued brushing her hair, watching him in the bed.

"You look fine, Granger," he grumbled, planting kisses on her neck. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Malfoy, you mean," she corrected spitefully, shrugging him off and throwing her brush into her trunk. He closed the trunk with his wand and shrunk both his and hers, putting them in his pocket. She sat on the edge of the bed, brushing away several tears. He kneeled down in front of her, staring up at her face.

"Not. Now." She slapped him and he took it.

"I'm sixteen. I didn't want to get married, least of all to you!" He nodded as if he understood. Then she was on the floor, hand over her cheek in shock and pain. He stood, staring at her emotionlessly.

"If you ever touch me like that again, I'll kill you, ok?"

* * *

"Here they are," Blaise said, turning to see Draco and Hermione come through the barrier. The platform was basically empty, as it was early. The couple approached them and Pansy put her hands on her hips. 

"So this is the new Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione flushed and turned away.

"Can we just get on the train?" she whispered to Draco, staring down the platform. He smirked.

"Where's the compartment?" he asked the others, eyes on his wife. Blaise motioned for them to go inside and they entered the train. The compartment selected was at the middle of the train and had been magically enlarged. Hermione sat next to the window and Draco next to her. Blaise sat down across from him and Pansy, Crabbe, Collin, Goyle and two other girls were also in the compartment. Opening a cage, Hermione let Jesiphire out and placed the kitten on her lap, petting it pensively. Draco glared at the thing.

"Why must you carry that thing around?" he snapped. She glanced at him.

"You got rid of Crookshanks," she told him softly. Blaise laughed and then stopped, staring out the window.

"Malfoy...Weasley and Potter..." Hermione's head snapped around and she gazed out the window. Draco stood and also looked, an unreadable look on his face. Hermione turned to him, pale, heart racing.

"Draco..." He turned to her. She was doing it again. A silent bargaining. She would do anything. He glanced out the window again.

"If I see anything funny..." A ghost of a smile flickered across her face as she rushed out, clutching Jesiphire closely. She stepped off the train, watching as a the large group of Weasleys, plus Harry, Remus Lupin and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"I hope you two have a magnificent last year at Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley was saying as she hugged her youngest son. "Keep out of trouble and do look for Hermione, poor girl. I do wonder where she happened off to. Her parents wouldn't say when they came to stay with us." Her breath caught in her throat. Her parents had been with the Weasleys?

"We'll look for her, Mum," Ron said. "Don't worry." Hermione smiled, stepping forward.

"It's alright, Ron. You don't really have to look for me." Everyone turned around, shock on their faces. Then Ron leapt forward, sweeping her up in a huge hug. She hugged him back tightly, making sure Jesiphire didn't get squeezed, and at the same time trying not to cry.

"Where the hell have you been, Hermoine!!" he yelled, holding her back at arms length. Ginny grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"Merlin, Hermione!! You had us soooooooo worried!" Hermione bit her lip.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I...something came up." The others crowded around. Remus looked her over.

"You look different," he commented and Ginny nodded.

"Yeah, something has definitely changed about you." Hermione blushed and shrugged.

"I think I look the same." Ron shook his head.

"No, you've changed a lot, Hermione! But in a good way!" She smiled.

"Thank you, Ron!" The whistle for the train blew and, after last goodbyes, the trio plus Ginny boarded the train and found a compartment. Sitting down and stroking Jesiphire, Hermione smiled. "Man, it's been a long time!" Harry nodded.

"Where have you been, Hermione?" he asked. "You were supposed to come to the Burrow. Ron owled me saying you never came and that his mum even went to your house to see what was wrong. What happened?" The smile dropped off and she turned to look out the window.

"I...I can't tell you right now," she said. "I'm kind of mixed up right now. This summer was...well, it wasn't normal. Can we talk about it later?" Ginny nodded, though she looked concerned. She nodded to Jesiphire.

"What happened to Crookshanks?" she asked and Hermione sighed.

"He ran away," she lied. "I couldn't find him around the house or anywhere. This is Jesiphire." Harry studied Hermione for a minute.

"You look different, Hermione," he said after a while. "Not just looks, but something else. Something's different."

"Really? I really can't tell the difference." Hermione turned to see Draco standing in the compartment doorway. He smirked at her. "Hello, Granger." She flushed. Ron stood, wand out. Harry was behind him.

"What the hell do you want, bothering us Malfoy?" Ron snarled. Draco eyed him critically.

"I saw your mother on the platform before the train moved off, Weasley. Is she expecting again? I don't believe your family has enough money to support another mouth, what with your father's job. Disgrace to purebloods, you lot. You breed like rabbits, there are so many of you around. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that you impregnate by touch." Ron lunged at him, but Hermione was between them in a flash.

"NO RON!" she cried, pushing him back. "That's exactly what he wants you to do. He's trying to get a rise out of you!" Draco smirked at Ron, who snarled at him but backed off.

"That's right, Granger. Keep your animal on a leash. All you can do is come to the end of your chain and bark." Ron was about to lunge once more but found Draco's wand digging into his neck. "Try it, Weasley," he hissed. "I'd really love to see you try it." Hermione pushed the wand down, glaring at him.

"Go away, Dr-Malfoy," she snapped, ignoring her stumble. His smirk only grew, but he left. Ron turned on Hermione, eyes wide.

"Why didn't you let me beat his ass up?!?!" he shouted. Hermione kissed Jesiphire's nose, not looking at Ron.

"Just drop it ok. You're not going to do yourself any good by getting detention for fighting with Malfoy." But on the inside, Hermione was asking herself the exact same question.


	6. The Marriage: The Book

**Recap:**

_"NO RON!" she cried, pushing him back. "That's exactly what he wants you to do. He's trying to get a rise out of you!" Draco smirked at Ron, who snarled at him but backed off._

_"That's right, Granger. Keep your animal on a leash. All you can do is come to the end of your chain and bark." Ron was about to lunge once more but found Draco's wand digging into his neck. "Try it, Weasley," he hissed. "I'd really love to see you try it." Hermione pushed the wand down, glaring at him._

_"Go away, Dr-Malfoy," she snapped, ignoring her stumble. His smirk only grew, but he left. Ron turned on Hermione, eyes wide._

_"Why didn't you let me beat his ass up?!?!" he shouted. Hermione kissed Jesiphire's nose, not looking at Ron._

_"Just drop it ok. You're not going to do yourself any good by getting detention for fighting with Malfoy." But on the inside, Hermione was asking herself the exact same question._

_

* * *

_

Hermione walked with Ron, Harry and Ginny into the Great Hall. Dumbledore made the regular announcements and the feast began. Hermione poked at her food, not really having much of an appetite. Ron looked at her.

"Hermione, you feeling ok?" he asked and she glanced at him. Around her neck, the weight of the chain increased. It was hidden behind her robes, but she felt like it exposed her. She sighed, putting down her fork.

"I'm not feeling myself, lately, that's all." Dumbledore stood and the hall fell silent.

"Now it is time to announce our new Heads. This years Head Boy and Girl are Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy!" The hall erupted in applause as Hermione stared over at Draco. He was smirking and, catching sight of her, winked. Her heart sunk into her feet. Ginny frowned.

"What's wrong, Hermione? I thought you'd be glad to be Head, even if it is with that prick." Hermione groaned.

"It's not that," she grumbled. "It's just that..." She sighed. "Just forget it. I'm going to the library, ok?" Without waiting for a response, she stood and wandered out. Entering her favorite place in Hogwarts, she walked around, just looking at books. She then stopped in an aisle. Placing a finger on the spine of the book, she read.

"_Love and Sex in You Marriage,_" she muttered to herself. She looked long the rest of the aisle, frowning. "_Is Sex in You Marriage Not What You Thought it Would Be? Getting Through a Troubled Marriage. Potions and Brews For Married Couples. Married Women: The Facts About Sex in Your Marriage. Nine Months: How To Pass Through Your Pregnancy. First Time: For Women Who Are Experiencing Pregnancy for the First Time. Sex During Pregnancy: What Do You Do?"_ The last bok caught her attention and she pulled it out and began flipping through the pages.

"Hey Hermione, whatcha doing?" Hermione gasped and turned around, the book behind her back. Ron was watching her curiously from the end of the aisle. "What are you looking for?" Hermione gulped, glancing at the books on the shelves.

"Nothing, Ron," she told him, slipping the book she had into her bag. "Just looking around." Ron laughed.

"I'd have thought that you'd have been all over this library," he said as they began walking out. Hermione nodded and stopped at the door.

"Um, Ron, could you wait here, I forgot something," she lied and hurried over to the Library desk. She handed the book to the librarian. "Can I check this out?" The librarian's eyes widened at the book and looked up at Hermione. Hermione felt herself grow hot but kept the gaze. "I'm just interested, is all." The librarian looked unconvinced but checked in out nonetheless. Putting it back in her bag, she joined Ron. They headed back into the Great Hall just as the desserts were being served.

Eating a piece of pie, Hermione looked up to see Dumbledore stand again.

"Quiet, please. I have an annoucement concerning seventh years. This year, all the seventh years will be required to take a sexual education class, headed up by Ms. Nymphadora Tonks. This is a mandatory class, so trying to get out of it is futile." Hermione had choked on her milk. The hall was loud with complaints and conversation over the new class. Ron blinked.

"He did not just say what I think he said?" he asked and Ginny nodded, laughing.

"At least I don't have to take it until next year!" she giggled and Hermione gave her a stern look.

"Why are they doing this now? They didn't do it for last years graduates." Harry shrugged.

"Guess they figure we need it more," he said. "It can't be that bad. Just really embarrasing to have to sit through. Tonks has to do it!" Hermione wasn't paying attention, staring over to where Draco was sitting. He glanced over, no longer smirking. He didn't want a sexual education class. He could teach sex-ed all by himself. She sighed, standing.

"I'm heading to bed. I really need the sleep." With a wave goodnight, she left the Great Hall, walking in the direction of the Head Commons. It was only a few minutes that she realized she was being followed. Glancing behind her, she frowned. Slytherins. Draco was with them. They didn't seem to want to join her, yet they weren't slowing down upon realizing they had been noticed. Turning back around, she came to a stop in front of what she recognized as the Head Commons. On the portrait was a griffin. It sat up, staring sternly at Hermione.

"Password," it demanded. Blushing, Hermione looked over to where Draco was. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"_Godsend_," he told the griffin and the portrait door swung open. Draco stepped in, followed by Hermione and the other Slytherins. The common room was enormous, with deep scarlet furniture, a large fireplace and two staircases leading to the Head rooms. Hermione headed up one and found her name on the door. Pushing it open, she smiled. The room was decorated in soft lavender, her favorite color, with a king sized bed, a desk, rugs and French doors leading out onto a lovely balcony. A door at the side of the room led into a master bathroom, with a pool sized tub in the middle, two marble sinks, a wall length mirror with a floor length one to the side. A shower was in the corner and there was even a sauna.

The door at the other side of the bathroom opened up and Draco appeared, Blaise with him. Hermione frowned.

"Why can't we have seperate bathrooms?" she asked, turning around and heading back into her room. Draco followed her.

"You want seperate bathrroms?" he whispered into her ear and she jumped, spinning around.

"Yes, I do. I have a seperate bedroom." He looked around it.

"Nice," were his only words before leaving and going into the commons. Hermione scowled after him and followed him and Blaise. She settled into a comfortable love seat, watching as the common room began filling with Slytherins.

"What's going on here?" she demanded as Draco sat down next to her. He shrugged.

"They wanted to see the common room." Several of them were already going up into the rooms. Hermione scowled but said nothing. Goyle showed up, handing them each a butter beer. Hermione shook her head but Draco accepted his. Pulling her legs beneath her, she began playing with her chain. Pansy sat down on the couch, eyeing the pair.

"So, what's it like being with the muggle?" she asked Draco. The common room suddenly became quiet as everyone turned to hear the responce. Hermione grew red in the face. Draco leaned back in the seat, resting his feet on the coffee table. His eyes closed and he was quiet for a moment.

"Best sex I've ever had," he muttered and a howl of laughter rose up among the Slytherins. Hermoine had gone through fifty shades of red and was about to get out of the seat when Draco grabbed her arm, pulling her back into the chair. "Wanna know something?" he asked his house. They all leaned in, several of them still snickering. "She was virgin on our wedding night." Hermione leapt to her feet, glaring at him. She stormed up to her room, chased a few first years out and slammed the door to the laughing Slytherins. Draco smiled, opening his eyes. Blaise rolled his eyes and Crabbe nodded.

"Can't believe it, Malfoy," he said. "A mudblood, who knew." Draco eyed him for a moment and then closed his eyes.

"Call her a mudblood again and I'll make sure you never speak again," he hissed. "I call her that. None of you. Understood?" A ripple of agreement went through the crowd and Draco smirked. "Then get out of here. I have things to do." The House errupted in howls of myrth again as they left. Draco remained in the common room for about an hour before heading up to Hermione's room. She was in the bathroom, brushing her teeth. Upon catching sight of him, she glared and slammed the door shut. He shrugged off his robes and lounged about in the bed, looking around her room. Jesiphire leapt up onto the bed, purring and rubbin her head against Draco's leg. He eyed the kitten and, taking it, dropped it on the floor. It hissed and disappeared out the door, much to Draco's amusement. Hermione came out, dressed in shorts and a large t-shirt.

"Get out, Draco," she growled and he laughed. Getting up, he approached her, stopping when they were inches apart. His lips were near hers and he could hear her ragged breathing. He smirked.

"I don't think you want me to go, mudblood," he whispered. She wanted to back up but she couldn't. He leaned in and captured her lips with his.

* * *

Draco got out of bed, pulling on a pair of boxers and stretching. Hermione lay asleep on the bed, her entire body uner the sheets except her blasted hair. He shook his head. She really needed to do something about that. Looking around the room, he spotted her bag and opened it. A book? He pulled it out and studied the cover. 

_"Sex During Pregnancy: What Do You Do?"_ he whispered to himself. _Pregnant?_ He suddenly paniked. _She can't be pregna...wait a minute...Sex during pregnancy?_ Draco couldn't help but smirk. He was egotistical, yes, but the damn girl, scratch that, young woman couldn't get enough of him. Still, if she was pregnant...

He moved over to her side of the bed, glancing at the clock. It was about two in the morning.

"Muggle," he whispered into her ear. "Muggle, wake up will you." She groaned and pushed down the sheets. She stared up tiredly at him.

"What is it, Draco?" she murmured angrilly. "I'm tired!" He waved away her complaints, showing her the book.

"What the hell is this?" he asked. She blinked and took a closer look at what he was holding She suddenly flushed and snatched the book away from him.

"That's none of your business," sne snapped.

"It is if you're pregnant," he snarled. She sat up, shoving the book under the matress.

"Well, I'm not, so stop worrying," she grumbled. He eyed her and then reached for pen and parchment. She watched him. "What are you doing?"

"Owling Pansy," he told her. "I want her to send over some potions for you."

"Potions for what?"

"Birth control, mudblood," he snapped. "Have you not been paying attention? I'm not going to have you getting pregnant while we're in school." She watched him finish the letter and whistle. A large eagle owl flew in a moment later. Draco tied the note to the owl's leg and it flew out through the balcony door, which they had left open last night becaue if was too hot. Draco turned back to Hermione. "Now, about that book-" She hit him with the pillow.

"Shut up, Draco," she growled, turning onto her back. He kissed her shoulders and felt her shudder. "Why are you doing this?" she murmured. He shrugged, pulling her closer to him.

"Because I can. Because you're letting me."


	7. The Marriage: The Classes

**Recap:**

_"Well, I'm not, so stop worrying," she grumbled. He eyed her and then reached for pen and parchment. She watched him. "What are you doing?"_

_"Owling Pansy," he told her. "I want her to send over some potions for you."_

_"Potions for what?"_

_"Birth control, mudblood," he snapped. "Have you not been paying attention? I'm not going to have you getting pregnant while we're in school." She watched him finish the letter and whistle. A large eagle owl flew in a moment later. Draco tied the note to the owl's leg and it flew out through the balcony door, which they had left open last night becaue if was too hot. Draco turned back to Hermione. "Now, about that book-" She hit him with the pillow._

_"Shut up, Draco," she growled, turning onto her back. He kissed her shoulders and felt her shudder. "Why are you doing this?" she murmured. He shrugged, pulling her closer to him._

_"Because I can. Because you're letting me." _

_

* * *

_

"Draco!! DRACO WAKE UP!!" Draco groaned and sat up.

"Damn it woman!! What the hell do you want!"

"Get up, we're late for school! We overslept."

"That's for damn sure," he mumbled, swinging out of bed. Hermoine was already dressed and was now shoving books into her bag. He quickly showered and dressed, glancing at the clock. They were twenty minutes late for whatever class they had now.

"What class to we have?"

"Potions!!" He swore and, grabbing her arm and his bag, dragged her out of the Head Commons and down the hall.

They skidded to a halt in front of the closed door. Draco smoothed down his school robes and pushed open the door. The entire class looked up from their potions and Snape stood, eyebrow raised.

"Draco whe...Ms. Granger?" Hermione came in behind Draco and now stopped, looking absolutely terrified. "What are you two late for?" Draco glanced at Hermione.

"We overslept, sir," he said, eyebrow raised. Snape looked between the two. The class was murmuring to each other and Snape fixed them with a glare.

"Both of you?" he inquired, disbelief playing over his features. Nobody else caught the underlying tone implied except for the two. Hermione intantly reddened and Draco frowned. _What did the man know?_ Snape sat down again. "Don't let it happen again," he snapped. "Get to your seats and start the potion." Hermione hurried to a seat next to Harry while Draco took place next to Blaise. Harry leaned over.

"Where were you and Malfoy?" he asked, stiring his potion. "Why were you both late?" Hermione glanced at him.

"We overslept," she told him again, not really wanting to go into detail about this. Somehow, she didn't want to tell her friends about what had happened to her over the summer. She didn't think Draco wanted her to.

"Oi! Granger!" Hermione turned around to see Pansy Parkinson sitting behind her. She handed Hermione a note and went back to her potion. Ron and Harry, who had witnessed this, gave Hermione a confused look. Hermione shrugged, just as confused as them and opened the letter.

_You're hair's really cute from behind, Granger. Who did it for you, a monkey?_ Hermione frowned. What was this? Harry and Ron rolled their eyes.

"She really needs to come up with better put downs then that," Harry muttered. Hermione nodded. She glanced back at Pansy, frowning. Pansy rolled her eyes and picked up her wand. She made a tapping motion and rolled her eyes again. Hermione's eyes widened in comprehension and Pansy nodded. Turning back around and making sure Ron and Harry were focusing on their potions, she took out her wand and tapped the note. The words melted away, others forming in their place.

_Come find me after class, I've got a case of potions for you. _Hermione nodded and tapped the paper again. The original note reappeared and Hermione pocketed it.

* * *

Class ended and Hermione followed Harry and Ron out. Before they could question her on her tardiness, she told them she forgot something back in the room and told them to go ahead without her. Frowning, the moved off and as soon as they were out of sight, she turned back to the classroom. Pansy was waiting for her. She handed her a box the size of a regular shoe box. Pansy opened it and there were about thirty tiny vials inside it. 

"Take one the morning after you've done it," she explained. "Take two if you've done it more than once. There are only thirty in here, so make sure Draco knows that. I'll have to give you the address of the guy who owls them to me, ok? I can't keep giving you mine. There aren't anyside affects, so the only thing you should be feeling is a funny sensation near your stomach. And whatever you do, don't let Madam Pomfrey catch you with these. She'll go absolutely crazy." Hermione took the box and put it into her bag, making sure that it wouldn't come out. Pansy held up vials. "Take these now. They're stronger and you take them if you've had sex for a while but haven't used the birth control. There are four of them in the box, ok?" Hermione nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Pansy noticed and laughed, tossing her black hair over her shoulder. "Don't worry. Draco understands a woman's personal needs. He doesn't want you pregnant during school." With that, she strutted off, leaving Hermione with the two vials. Sighing, she opened one and poured it into her mouth. Just like Pansy said, a sensation went around her stomach her area. Shuddering, she took the next one.

Putting the vials into her bag, she hurried off to her next class.

* * *

"Ron said you were late for Potions this morning," Ginny commented, putting down her fork to watch Hermione carefully. "You're never late for a class." Hermione shot a glare at Ron, who was studying his food closely. 

"I overslept! How many times to I have to say it before you believe me!!" Harry tilted his head to the side.

"Hermione, did something happen this summer that you're not telling us?" he asked. "You've been acting really weirdly ever since you got back. Hermione again felt the weight of ring around her neck and picked up a biscuit.

"I...Look, I don't want to talk about it, ok? Could we just change the subject?" The other three exchanged concerned looks but nevertheless changed the subject. Ginny turned to Ron and Harry.

"Did you guys hear about the Christman Ball?" Both boys shook his head. "They're scheduling one in December and there's even a rumor for a Masquerade Ball in October!" Hermione bit into her biscuit, nodding.

"Heads and Prefects are organizing a Masquerade Ball, but nobody's really supposed to know. I got a whole letter about it this morning." Ginny smiled.

"I can't wait! A Masquerade Ball is so romantic!!" Ron rolled his eyes.

"If you don't know who your date is, how's it romantic?"

"It's supposed to promote House unity." Harry laughed.

"Yeah, sure it is. Imagine Gryffindor and Slytherin ever getting along? That would be the day." Hermoine choked on her juice. Ron gave her an odd look.

"You ok, 'Mione?"

"Is that her new nickname, Weasel? What does she call you, Wonald?" Ron and Harry stood, wands in their hands. Draco was by himself this time. Ginny glared at him.

"Can't you just leave us alone, ferret?" she spat and Draco smirked.

"What would be the fun in that?" he asked and then eyed her. "The smallest Weasley is growing up nicely." Harry dug his wand into Draco's neck as Hermione found herself growing hot in the face. Before Harry could do anything, she had stood and slapped Draco across the face. She stared up into his eyes and for a moment rage passed through the grey eyes before he smirked. "Now now, Granger," he said, leaning into so that only she could hear. "Getting jealous? Now that's a turn on, mudblood." She flushed and shoved him away.

"Why are you here, Malfoy?" she snapped. Draco shrugged.

"We need to talk," he said. "Head stuff." Hermione frowned, but followed him out of the Great Hall nevertheless. He then grabbed her arm and pulled her into a small, hidden corridor. His lips were on her neck as she was pushed into the wall, his body pressing against hers. She gasped as he nipped her neck.

"I thought we needed to talk?" she muttered, but her arms were around his neck. His hands slipped into her robes, lifting up her shirt to feel her stomach.

"We are talking, mudblood," he growled. "Shut up."

"But head stuff..."

"This is Head stuff, muggle, now shut up!" She groaned as his hands found their way to her bra.

"Draco, we have class in five minutes..."

"So?"

"We need more than five minutes..." He pulled up, staring into her eyes. She blushed, pulling her hands out of his hair. He raised an eyebrow.

"We do, don't we?" His lips crashed onto hers and she moaned as her bra clasp came undone.

"Hermione?" Draco swore into her mouth. "Hermione, where are you? We've got class soon!"

"Get rid of them, Hermione," he snarled into her neck.

"We have class," she hissed. He pushed against her harder, causing her to gasp.

"Get _rid_ of them," he told her again. She managed to shove him off of her. She put back her bra clasp and, picking up her things, hurried out.

"Come on," she said to her friends upon finding them. "Lets go." She glanced behind her, feeling his gaze on her. And for some reason, she desperately wished that she could go back.

* * *

They were sitting around next to Hagrid's cabin, sketching and writing notes on a nymph Hagrid had. Hermione was leaning against a tree, eagerly scribbling down notes. Ron was next to her and Harry on the other side of him. She was just jotting down a note about the nymph's eyes when she noticed Ron staring at her. She turned to him and blushed.

"Ron, what is it?" He snapped out of his reviere and grew red. He turned to his notes.

"Nothing, just thinking," he muttered. She smiled, turning back to her notes.

Across from them, Draco and Blaise sat. Blaise could tell that Draco was in a foul mood, because kept scratching out whatever he wrote with such anger that a hole would appear in the parchment. He eyed the young man curiously.

"Something the matter?" he asked. Draco glared at him and shrugged.

"Damn wife," he muttered, turning back to the nymph, who was doing cartwheels.

"What about?"

"Can't get two minutes..."

"Potter and Weasley?" Draco glanced at him.

"They need to jump off bridges, the whole lot of them." Blaise nodded and then smiled.

"When's the next Hogsmeade trip?" Draco shrugged.

"In a couple weeks, I think. Why?"

"You know where Lucius took Narcissa last week?" Draco nodded and then turned to stare at his friend.

"You're not serious?"

"Dead serious."

"You're going to be dead. Why the hell would you even suggest that?" Blaise shrugged, looking back to the nymph.

"It was only a suggestion. After all, you can't seem to get the muggle away from her bodyguards. I was just offering you a way..." Draco continued to stare at him and Blaise laughed. "I'll make the arrangements." Draco began muttering something, glaring at the nymph. "Yeah, I love you too, Malfoy."

Hermione was watching the two from where she sat, frowning. Something was up. Blaise was laughing and Draco was muttering.

"Somethings definitely up," she mused aloud.

"What's up?" Ron asked and she started, realizing she had spoken too loudly.

"Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself." He nodded.

"So, what do you think about this whole Masquerade thing? It's pretty wierd, huh?" She glanced at him.

"I don't think so. Ginny's right, it's romantic! Not knowing who you might meet. It's a good way to make new friends." Ron stared at her.

"What would you do if you found out that the person you're dancing with is a Slytherin?" Hermione froze and turned to look at him.

"I don't know..."

"What do you mean you don't know?! Slytherin's the enemy!!" She nodded, turning back to the nymph. Her eyes met with Draco's and she shuddered.

"You're right. It is wierd."


	8. The Marriage: The Distraction

**Recap:**

_"So, what do you think about this whole Masquerade thing? It's pretty wierd, huh?" She glanced at him._

_"I don't think so. Ginny's right, it's romantic! Not knowing who you might meet. It's a good way to make new friends." Ron stared at her._

_"What would you do if you found out that the person you're dancing with is a Slytherin?" Hermione froze and turned to look at him._

_"I don't know..."_

_"What do you mean you don't know?! Slytherin's the enemy!!" She nodded, turning back to the nymph. Her eyes met with Draco's and she shuddered._

_"You're right. It is wierd."_

_

* * *

_

_She groaned into his mouth as he began tearing through her clothes. His love bites were becoming more aggressive as she moved her hands through his hair, down his bare chest towards-_

"Ms. Granger?" Hermione jerked out of her day dream to see her entire Charms class staring at her. Professor Flitzwick motioned for her to stand up. "Ms. Granger, could you demonstrate the charm for us?" Hermione gulped and glanced at Harry and Ron for help. Ron mouthed "Dominiatum" and she sighed in relief. A simple folding spell.

Class ended a few minutes later and Hermione walked out with the two boys. They gave her a strange look.

"Day dreaming during class, Hermione?" Ron said incredulously. "I'm speechless." She blushed and glared at him.

"Good, so keep your mouth shut." Harry smiled at her.

"What was it about?" Hermione's face went an even deeper red than before.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," she muttered. They laughed and let it drop. They suddenly ran into Ginny, who was frowning. Hermione touched her shoulder. "What's wrong Ginny?" She handed them a note. It read:

_Please accept this token and hope to see you at the Masquerade._

_-Your Stalker_

Hermione gasped as the boys' eyes narrowed.

"Who gave this to you, Ginny?" Ron growled. Ginny patted his arm.

"Don't worry, Ron. A first year from Hufflepuff gave it too me. I doubt that the persons a Hufflepuff, though, by the way the kid kept looking around like he was being watched."

"Ginny, this is serio...wait, what did he give you?" Hermione asked. Ginny held up a single white rose, attatched to it was a charm bracelet with all the Hogswarts House animals. "Wow, Ginny! It's beautiful!" Harry's eyes bulged.

"She has a stalker and you call that beautiful?!?!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Harry, whoever this is can't possibly hope to find Ginny at the Masqerade ball. There are too many people and all of them disguised. Nobody's even _allowed_ to ask who another person is. Don't worry, Harry. This stalker's not as smart as he thinks he is."

"What's this? Weaslette has a stalker?"

"Merlin! Can't we go anywhere without having you pop up?" Ginny snarled, pulling out her wand and pointing it at Draco. He smirked.

"No. By the way, Granger, what was it that you were dreaming about in class? We heard that you had a very...dreamy look on you face." Hermione was beet red. He knew what she had been thinking about and she wanted to kill him for it. Ron stepped forward.

"Why don't you find a corner and jack off, Malfoy," he spat. Draco took a step forward so that they were face to face. They were about the same height, but total opposites, Ron's flaming red hair and flushed skin standing out against Draco's platinum blonde hair and paleness of skin.

"I would, Weasel, but I saw your mother in one of them and we just hit it off right there." He had crossed a line and he knew it the moment Ron's fist knocked him off his feet.

Hermione put both hands over her mouth, eyes wide. On one hand, the guy she liked was beating the hell out of her husband and enemy. On the other hand, her husband was getting beaten up by her crush and best friend. Oh, she was in a pickle all right.

"Ron, STOP!!" she shouted. "Harry, get him off!" Harry moved forward grudgingly and managed to pull Ron off of Draco. The Slytherin Prince rose slowly to his feet, flicking his hair back while blood ran from the corner of his mouth. He cracked his neck, dusting himself off. A bruise was developing on his lower jaw and his lip was split. He closed his eyes for a moment and than spat at Ron, a mixture of blood and saliva hitting him. Ron, enraged, lunged at the blonde again. Hermione stepped into the way, holding him back.

"Ron, don't!! You're going to get in trouble!!" Ron stopped, pulling out of Harry and Hermione's grip.

"Get lost, Malfoy," he snarled. Draco eyed him for a moment and then leaned close to Hermione.

"You have one minute," he whispered into her ear and she turned to him, eyes wide. "This time, you don't run out on me." With that, he swept down the hall and out of sight. Her breath was caught in her throat.

_Why are you acting this way? This is the second time today you've been daydreaming about him! You like Ron, remember!!_

_"Yes, but Ron didn't marry you, did he? Ron wasn't your first, was he?"_

Hermione shuddered.

"You ok, Hermione?" Startled out of her reviere, she turned back to Ginny. Ginny was looking between her and the direction Draco had disappeared in like she was trying to figure something out. Hermione shook her head, shouldering her bag.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered. "I just...What class to we have now?" Ron glanced a clock.

"We have Trelawney," he grumbled. "You have Arithmancy." Hermione nodded.

"Ok, I'll get going then."

"I'll come with you," Ginny said and Hermione frowned.

"Why?" Ginny tilted her head, an curious look on her face.

"I have Transfiguration in this direction," she told the seventh year. Hermione nodded, but inside she was boiling. _She knows something...Why the hell do I care?!_ Shaking her head, she waved goodbye to the boys and walked with Ginny. They stopped in front of Ginny's class and Hermione waved.

"See you later, Gin," she said, heading in the direction of her class. She felt Ginny's gaze on her neck but kept walking. Turning the corner, she rushed down the hall and scaled the stairs when she was yanked into an empty class room. Draco had her robes off in a heartbeat.

"You tried to skip out on me, muggle," he hissed into her mouth. She groaned as his hands moved down her body.

"I almost made it, too," she whispered into ear as she pulled off his shirt and kissed his collar bone.

"Almost," he growled, pushing her against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist, arms around his neck. They stumbled to the side and he set her down on a desk, clawing at her skirt. Then he stopped. She turned to him, frowning.

"What?" He wasn't paying attention to her. He moved her over and picked up a piece of paper from off the table. On it held names in collums. Boys and Girls, it read at the top. Another paper said, _Survey on Your "Sex Life"_ Draco stared at it as Hermione looked around the room.

"Where the hell are we, Muggle," he snapped, looking around the room. On the walls were diagrams of male and female reproductive organs and other charts and diagrams that were disturbing to Draco in the highest sense. Hermione hopped down from the table, clutching Draco's arm and laughing.

"We're in the sex-ed classroom," she giggled and he looked down at her.

"This goes past ironic, doesn't it?" he grumbled, walking over to a diagram. "Why are they going to subject us to this? I know about sex. I've had sex. I was about to have sex when these very disturbing images ruined my mojo." Hermoine giggled, burrying her face in his bare chest.

"Your mojo's fine, dear," she whispered. He lifted her up and back onto a desk. She leaned in and kissed him. He pushed her back onto her back, getting up and straddling her. "You know, the boys are going to want to hear this story," she moaned into his mouth. He nodded.

"Ironic, isn't it?" She giggled.

* * *

Hermione slipped into a seat next to Blaise. He eyed her as she smoothed out her hair and straightened her skirt. He laughed. 

"You two are like rabbits," he muttered and she shot him a death glare. "So, where were you two?" She eyed him for a moment, the began taking her notes.

"We happened into the sex-ed room," she whispered and Blaise let out a loud snort of laughter. Professor Vectra looked up from the board, frowning.

"Is something funny about my lesson, Mr. Zambini?" she asked, eyebrow raised in a no-nonsense way. Still shaking with myrth, he shook his head.

"No, professor," he managed out. "I'm fine. Please continue." She gave him a last look before returning to her lecture. Blaise turned to Hermione, who's face was red. He laughed quietly and went to his notes.

When class ended, they were the last to leave and met Draco in the hall. Blaise began laughing out loud, holding himself up against the wall. Hermione glared at him.

"There's nothing funny about that," she snapped. She hated the fact that she had skipped class just to screw around in one of the class rooms. She was going to be behind in her homework, that was for sure. Draco wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"We should do that more often," he whispered into her ear and she yanked away, angry.

"Don't touch me, Malfoy!" she spat. "You think you can just make me shag with you whenever you want, well you can't!!" He stepped towards her, lips brushing hers.

"I did just a moment ago, didn't I?" he whispered. She wanted to move away, but something down inside her kept her there.

"Physical attraction can't distract from the fact that your a monster," she murmured.

Blaise looked between the two and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, will you cut it out, Draco," he snapped. "You're gonna get her all excited and then the next thing we know, you'll be at it in the hallway. Leave the poor thing be." Draco stepped away and Hermione let out a breath of relief. She adjusted her bag strap and, without acknowledging them, she turned on her heel and stormed down the stairs and into the Great Hall for dinner. This week had just been too long. Sitting down next to Ron, she let out a frustrated growl and rested her forehead on the table. Ron stared at her.

"Are you ok, 'Mione?" It seemed like she had heard that way too many times today. Sitting up, she gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you Ron," she told him, starting to put food on her plate. "Today's just been really stressful, is all."_ Not all of it..._ She quickly squashed that train of thought and began eating. Ginny ran up, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil with her.

"Guess what!!" Lavender squealed. "There letting us go to Hogsmeade early this year! Tomorrow, actually!!" Ginny giggled.

"I can't wait!! The ball's not to long away!" Hermione sighed. She had been at the school for about a month but it felt like an eternity. The girls sat down just as Harry came in. He smiled at Ron.

"Guess what, Ron?" he asked. Ron shrugged.

"What?" Harry's grin grew.

"You made Quidditch Captain, mate!!" Ron nearly fell out of his seat as several students around then cheered. Hermione laughed, helping him back up. He looked stunned beyond belief.

"Me?" he asked incredulously. "I'm c-c-captain?!" Harry nodded, handing him a piece of parchment.

"This was tacked in the common room." On the paper was a note from Professor McGonagall saying that Ronald Weasley had been made the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. Hermione hugged him.

"I'm proud of you, Ron!" she told him. Ginny smiled.

"Can't wait until practices start! You know, you'll have to hold tryouts for positions." Padma Patil, Parvati's twin, suddenly showed up, a disgusted look on her face. Parvati frowned.

"What's up, Padma?" she asked. Padma pointed over to the Slytherin table.

"You'll never guess what's going on over there," she said, obviously disgusted. "Malfoy's got a whole bunch of Slytherin girls dancing over there! It's gross!!" Everyone turned around to see the sight. Draco Malfoy was leaning against Blaise, laughing his head off as ten Slytherin beauties were on the table, stripping off their clothes while dancing to what Hermione realized was Nelly's "Tilt Your Head Back". Boys from Slytherin, Ravenclaw and even some Hufflepuff were crowded around, hooting and hollaring about it. Hermione looked over to see what the teachers were thinking about this. It was painfully obvious that Snape was trying not to laugh as he held Professor McGonagall to her seat. Dumbledore was no where to be seen and the other teachers seemed unsure of what to do. Standing, she lead Ron, Harry and Ginny over to get a better look at the commotion. She pushed her way through the frenzy and found Draco. She poked him in the shoulder, glaring.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" she yelled at him over the music and noise. He smirked, and whipped out his wand. Her eyes widened and she began backing up. "Don't you DARE!!" He did. Waving his wand at her, a sensation took over her and she found herself on the table. The other girls stopped and the music changed. Draco muttered something and the next thing Hermione knew, she was singing.

_"I could feel it from the start,  
Couldn't stand to be apart.  
Something about you caught my eye,  
Something moved me deep inside!  
Don't know what you did boy but  
You had it and I've been hooked ever since.  
I told my mother, my brother, my sister and my friend  
I told the others, my lovers, from past and present tense.  
Everytime I see you everything starts making sense."_

She was going to kill him!! Ron and Harry were staring at her like she was mad but she couldn't stop!! And there he was, with his best mate cracking up like it was funny!!

_"Ain't no other man, can stand up next to you  
Ain't no other man on the planet does what you do  
(what you do).  
You're the kinda guy, a girl finds in a blue moon.  
You got soul, you got class.  
You got style with your bad ass - oh yeah!  
Ain't no other man its true - all right -  
Ain't no other man but you."_

The Slytherin girls were singing background, moving to the song. Still singing, Hermione flung off her robes, kicking off her shoes and ruffling up her hair. She would kill him!!!

_"You are there when I'm a mess  
Talk me down from every ledge  
Give me strength, boy you're the best  
You're the only one who's ever passed every test _

Ain't no other man, can stand up next to you  
Ain't no other man on the planet does what you do  
You're the kinda guy, a girl finds in a blue moon.  
You got soul, you got class.  
You got style your bad ass - oh yeah!  
Ain't no other man it's true - all right -  
Ain't no other man but you."

As the song came to a close, she could feel herself gaining back control. Draco seemed to realize this, as he muttered something to Blaise and they suddenly disappeared.

_"Ain't no other man, can stand up next to you  
Ain't no other man on the planet does what you do  
(what you do).  
You're the kinda guy, a girl finds in a blue moon.  
You got soul, you got class.  
You got style your bad ass - oh yeah!  
Ain't no other man it's true - all right -  
Ain't no other man but you."_

As the song ended, she fell of the table and the crowd caught her. Shaking them off, she grabbed her shoes and robes, blushing madly. Without a word to her friends, she ran out of the Great Hall. Catching sight of robes, she flew off after them. They disappeared into the Head Commons. She rushed in and Draco paused on the steps to his bedroom. Blaise was no where to be seen. She dropped her things, chest heaving and eyes irate.

"I'm gonna KILL YOU!!" she screamed, lunging at him. He caught her, shoved her into the wall and kissed her passionately. She struggled but he only deepened it.

"The whole singing thing is a real turn on, Muggle," he whispered into her mouth. She tried to shove him off, but it only heigtened his current state of lust for the woman. They fell back onto one of the couches. Draco managed to get on top and started removing her shirt.

"Malfoy, GET OFF!!" she screamed at him and he grounded his legs into her hips, making her groan.

"Make me," he hissed into her ear.

"I'll kill you," she spat, glaring into his eyes. He smirked maliciously.

"I can't wait."


	9. The Marriage: The Talk

**ATTENTION!!! I can see that a lot of you love it that I've been updating so frequently. Because of this, I need to inform you that after Sunday, updates might only come once a day, maybe not even that. I'll try to do three tomorrow, so that you all get something to read, ok!! And, because I love you guys are so great, I'm doing two updates in a row tonight, making it I think three or four today!!! **

**This chappies short, so you deserve another one, anyway!! Enjoy!**

**Recap:**

_"I'm gonna KILL YOU!!" she screamed, lunging at him. He caught her, shoved her into the wall and kissed her passionately. She struggled but he only deepened it._

_"The whole singing thing is a real turn on, Muggle," he whispered into her mouth. She tried to shove him off, but it only heigtened his current state of lust for the woman. They fell back onto one of the couches. Draco managed to get on top and started removing her shirt._

_"Malfoy, GET OFF!!" she screamed at him and he grounded his legs into her hips, making her groan._

_"Make me," he hissed into her ear._

_"I'll kill you," she spat, glaring into his eyes. He smirked maliciously._

_"I can't wait."

* * *

_

"Draco?"

"Hmm?"

"If...If we did have children...would you want a boy or girl?"

"Damn it, woman, tell me you're not pregnant or I-"

"No! No, I'm not pregnant. I was just asking...Good grief."

"A boy."

"Not a girl?"

"True Malfoy's are never girls. We've passed this line down purely on males."

"You pride yourself in that, don't you?"

"Absolutely."

"Have you ever thought about being original and having a girl?"

"I got original and married you, didn't I?"

"I'm jumping for joy."

"You were a minute ago."

"You're full of yourself, you know that?"

"You were also very full of me, too."

"Ugh. Get off me, sicko."

"Oi, you didn't seem to mind it a while ago."

"Yeah, but keep that to yourself. I don't want to here about it now. Ugh, I can't believe I enjoyed that."

"Hmm, you smell nice."

"You're crazy."

They were silent for a moment and then they rolled over so that Hermione was lying on top of him. She kissed his chest and rested her head on it, letting their fingers play with each other.

"You have a nice ass, muggle." She looked up at him, eyebrow raised. "What? Can't a man admire his wife's ass? After all, I did just have my-"

"Enough, enough!! Ugh, you are so graphic." She rolled off of him and snuggled into his side. He watched her carefully.

"Do you like Weasley?" he asked her and she looked up sharply, startled at his question.

"Excuse me?" He rolled his eyes, turning on his side and propping himself up with his elbow.

"Do you like Weasley? Simple question, two answers: yes or no?" She stared at him for a moment and turned onto her back to stare at the cieling.

"Yes." They were silent for a moment and Draco kissed her neck. Moving down to her collar bone, he moved his hand up and down her thigh. She pushed him away, getting out of bed. She put on a robe and sat on the edge of the bed, eyes closed. He watched her for a moment and then laid back in bed, closing his eyes also. "Why did you want to know?" He shrugged.

"Dunno. Just wondering, is all." She turned and looked at him. The sheets were pulled up over his waist. His hair was unruly and his chest rising up and down calmly.

"Is it wrong?" she asked him.

"Hell no. If we liked each other, then I'd have to throw myself off the Astronomy Tower. No, go and like freakin' Weasley for all I care. He's not the one who gets to sleep with you, so why should I care." He opened one eye and glared at her. "You two aren't hitting it off, are you?" he snapped. She actually laughed, taking off the robe and crawling back in bed with him.

"No," she murmured. "Weren't you listening at all? Ain't no other man but you, baby." His lip curled in disgust and she giggled, snuggling closer to him and eventually falling asleep. He watched her as her breathing slowed. Her hair was still frizzy and untamed, but it didn't bother him much anymore. The tiniest of smiles slid onto his face.

"Goodnight, mudblood."


	10. The Marriage: The Dance

**Recap:**

_"Is it wrong?" she asked him._

_"Hell no. If we liked each other, then I'd have to throw myself off the Astronomy Tower. No, go and like freakin' Weasley for all I care. He's not the one who gets to sleep with you, so why should I care." He opened one eye and glared at her. "You two aren't hitting it off, are you?" he snapped. She actually laughed, taking off the rove and crawling back in bed with him._

_"No," she murmured. "Weren't you listening at all? Ain't no other man but you, baby." His lip curled in disgut and she giggled, snuggling closer to him and eventually falling asleep. He watched her as her breathing slowed. Her hair was still frizzy and untamed, but it didn't bother him much anymore. The tiniest of smiles slid onto his face._

_"Goodnight, mudblood."_

_

* * *

_

The seventh years first sex-ed class was that week and it couldn't have been any worse. The Gryffindors and Slytherins were paired together (imagine that?). It wasn't really bothering Hermione except for the fact that Draco was getting a lot more...friskier...as the class loomed closer. She starting to walk with other students just to avoid being jumped in the corridor and shagged down in some empty room or broomcloset and miss yet another lesson. Some of the teachers were starting to notice her tardiness to classes and her friends were getting suspicious.

The day of the class, Hermione found herself in a hidden hallway, Draco doing a Dracula number on her neck.

"Draco, please!! We have class now!!"

"Sex-ed? Why should we go? I can teach you a lot about sex right here!!" She shoved him away.

"One: We are in a hallway, and there is no way we are doing it in a hallway," she hissed and he smirked. "Two: it is the first class and I would like to make a good impression."

"It's sex-ed!!" She began walking away and cursing under his breath, he followed her. They drifted apart when students came into sight. Draco found Blaise and they walked up to the class. Hermione walked with Harry and Ron, both who looked thoroughly put off by the next class. Finding seats in the class, Harry wrinkled his nose in distate.

"Horrible decor," he muttered and Hermoine giggled. As soon as everyone was seated, Tonks showed up.

"Hello, I'm Professor Tonks, but you can just call me Tonks," she greeted. "First off, I want you all to fill out this sheet and turn it in, ok?" The surveys that Hermione and Draco had seen earlier appeared in front of everyone. Pulling out a quill, Hermoine sighed.

_Have you ever had sexual intercourse?_ She glanced around. People were staring at the paper like it was a joke. Others were scribbling down things. Unable to hide her curiosity, she sneaked a peak at Harry and Ron's paper. Both had checked off the box next to the question saying _yes_. She silently wondered who Ron had slept with. She stared down at her paper and silently contemplated whether putting down yes or no. She could feel someone staring at her and realized it was Ron.

"What?" she snapped and he flushed and turned back to his paper. Feeling a little unnerved, she checked off _no._

_If you have, how many times?_ A snort from behind her made the trio turn around. Draco and Blaise were laughing silently. It seemed they were also on the same question. Draco looked up and leaned forward.

"On the same question, Granger?" he whispered so that only him, Blaise and the trio could hear. "How many times have you done it with someone?" She flushed. Harry glared at him.

"Leave her alone, Malfoy." He was ignored, however.

"Have you ever screamed at the top of your lungs while some guy is cupping your breast and screwing your brains out?" Hermione couldn't help but scowl. _Wasn't that just last night?_ Ron stood.

"We said, leave her alone," he snarled. Draco merely leaned back in his chair and muttering something to Blaise, who in turn, eyed Hermione with humor in his eyes. Hermione turned back around.

"What you say to him, Hermione?" Ron asked and she glanced at him.

"Oh, nothing, Ron," she muttered. "Nothing."

* * *

The ball came up fast and soon Hermione was standing in front of the mirror, a green thigh-length sleeveless dress on. It hugged her curves nicely. An eye mask was on her face and her hair was streaked with green and silver. Twirling on medium high heels, she left her room and stopped at the top of the stairs. Draco, who had been waiting for her, turned around and smirked. He was wearing white dress robes with an eyemask. His hair was dyed black. She slid down the banister and into his arms. She twirled around in front of him. 

"How do I look?" she asked and he shrugged.

"Trampy," he said and she hit him in the arm. He took her arm, pulling her closer. "Why don't we stay here?" he whispered huskily, nuzzling her cheek. "I've got some tricks that I'm yet to pull out on you." She smiled, reaching down and squeezing his crotch. He gasped and stared at her, eyes wide. She smiled coyly.

"See, Draco," she whispered back, leaning up so that her lips were close to his yet still tauntingly far. "I can be alluring, too." She let go of him, flipping her hair. She pushed up her chest, pretending to be fixing her bra and heard him groan. She flashed him a smile. "You can't seduce me that easily," she told him and walked out the door.

Entering the Great Hall, she looked around. It was decorated in jack-o-lanterns and such, with candle lighting up the hall. Several guys watched her as she headed over to the punch table. She smiled, watching them as they nodded to her.

"Miss?" She turned around and smiled as a tall young man in red and black dress robes bowed. She bowed.

"Sir," she giggled. He held out his hand, motioning out onto the dance floor. She smiled and followed him out. His hands went around her waist as she rested hers around his neck.

"So, what can I ask you, besides your name and house?" he asked. She shrugged.

"You could ask me what I like to do or eat or what my favorite color is," she told him and he laughed.

"Ok then, what's your favorite color?"

"Lavender. I'm a sucker for purple." He smiled widely.

"Favorite food?"

"Chili cheese fries." He stared at her through his mask and she giggled. "They're delicious." As they continued talking, Hermione was oddly aware that his hands were sinking lower on her body. She was about to tell him off about it when they were interrupted by none other than a young man in white dress robes.

"Oi!" the man snapped. Red looked White up and down.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Times up, I get her back," White hissed. Red was about to say something else when Hermione shook her head.

"It's ok," she said, internally sighing with relief as he released her. "I'll find you later, ok?" Red nodded and stalked off. Draco took his place, pulling Hermione a lot closer and his hands a lot lower.

"Right," he muttered. "I'll find him later." Hermione laughed.

"He did have soft hands, though," she told him and was pleasantly amused at his shocked look.

"Soft hands?!" His hands squeezed and she gasped. "He didn't do that, did he? Soft hands, my ass."

"More like mine," she muttered and he smirked. She flicked some hair out of his face.

"Black suits you," she said. He laughed.

"Sure it does." She nodded.

"But I like the platinum blond look. Wonder if it'll pass on to our children?" He squeezed her butt again and she hit him in the arm.

"By the way, Hermione," he muttered. "That stunt you pulled in the common room. Not. Cool."

"Aww, did I ruin the family jewels?"

"You just might have. What made you do it?" She shrugged.

"I'm getting tired of you always taking control," she muttered. "Why do you have to lead all the time? How come you have to bed me instead of me bedding you?" He eyed her, unable to hide his smile.

"You want to know something? What you said, a real turn on. Want to ditch this place and go-"

"Ugh, see what I'm talking about!!! Why do you always have to be the one shoving me into corners?"

"I'd let you push me into a corner any day."

"How come I can't resist and win? Why do I have to submit all the time?" He stared at her for a while and shrugged.

"Maybe you aren't trying hard enough." She sighed, turning away.

"Maybe I should start trying."

"That would be...interesting. A chase...hard-to-get with your wife. I think I'll like this game, muggle."

"Well prepare to be blackballed, Draco." He was silent for a moment.

"Um, Hermione? This doesn't mean we're not shagging every night. This whole game thing doesn't apply to night time activities, does it?" She stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you just totally obsessed with sex? Really, are you?"

"No. It just happens to come with the whole package called marriage. It's not like I'm getting anything else out of this."

"How about me?"

"You're a bonus." She smiled and hit him in the arm.

"You amaze me sometimes, you know that. And I thought you said nothing would change."

"So far, nothing has."

The song ended and they headed over to the punch table. He avoided getting too close and she handed him a cup, rolling her eyes. Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she squealed when she recognized who it was.

"Ginny!" she whispered. The girl nodded. She was wearing a black dress with lions, snakes, badgers and ravens etched intricately into it. Her mask covered her eyes and nose and her hair was streaked with purple. "Nice outfit," she told her. Ginny giggled.

"It's a bit much, but whatever," she said then eyed the boy next to Hermione, who was eyeing her. "Who's that?" Hermione blushed and shrugged.

"We were dancing," she told her friend. White took Ginny's hand and kissed it.

"Madam," he murmured and Ginny's face flamed and she giggled. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Isn't he something," Hermione said to Ginny and the girl nodded. White glanced at Hermione.

"I'll see you later, I hope," he murmured into her ear but there was something different in the way he said it. She turned to face him and his lips brushed hers. Before she could react, he had disappeared into the crowd. Ginny whistled.

"Woah, he moves fast, doesn't he?" she commented. Hermione nodded absent-mindedly, a finger running over her lips. _What had that been?_ She was pretty sure that the kiss hadn't been out of his crazy sex obsession. Something else...She shook her head. _You're paranoid, that's what it is._ "Come on, Hermione! We've gotta go see Ron and Harry!"

"I thought we weren't supposed to know who everyone was?" Hermione said pointedly and Ginny laughed.

"Yeah, but I stumbled in on them trying on their clothes, so it was inevitable." The approached a table and two young men stood. One was wearing dark blue robes with a full mask and the other had red-orange robes with a half mask.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, peering at the full mask. The man shook his head.

"Ron," he said back and Hermione giggled.

"Nice," she told him, tapping the mask. "It's cute." Although she couldn't see it, Ron's face did a complete color change from pink to magenta. Harry laughed.

"Great outfit, Hermione," he said and Hermione blushed deeply.

"I think it's a bit, um, revealing..."

"No! It's really pretty, 'Mione!" Hermione's face grew a deeper shade of red than Ron's hair.

"Thanks Ron." Suddenly, White showed up. Someone was with him, a tall young man in dark green robes and a half mask.

"Miss Green," he greeted, bowing slightly while brushing his lips over Hermione's hand. She and Ginny giggled as Ron and Harry ruffled a bit.

"Who's this?" Ron asked gruffly and White, careful not to smirk, grinned.

"Call me White," he said. "And you are?"

"Blue," Ron growled back. White nodded. He then motioned to his friend.

"Meet Dark, in robe and in skin color," White introduced cheekily, earning him a hefty shove from his friend. Hermione hid a smile. Blaise.

"What are you two doing over here?" Harry asked. Dark couldn't help but smirk.

"The ladies, of course," he said, eyeing Ginny, who blushed deeply. "You, of course, wouldn't mind if we stole them away to the dance floor, would you?" Hermoine rolled her eyes. _What were these two on? They were so out of character...probably think he's gonna get some for being like this. Well, he had better think twice..._ She could see Ron and Harry were upset but she smiled at them.

"Don't worry, you two," she said, patting Ron's hand. "We'll be back for the two of you next." White took her hand and led her out onto the floor. Out of the corner, she could see Ginny and Blaise/Dark moving slowly to the music. She turned back to Draco.

"You know, if you think you're getting lucky because you're acting this way, you had better think again," she told him and he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Who said this was about...no wait, it is. Sorry about that." She glared at him and he smirked. "What are you going to do about it? Run off with Weasley?"

"Maybe I should," she muttered, turning away from him to look across at Blaise and Ginny. "What's up with him?" Draco looked over also and shrugged.

"Been like that since we got here. Really starting to bug me." Hermione's head snapped back onto him.

"What do you mean, been like that?" Draco rolled his eyes in a self-suffering fashion.

"He's been watching her and sending her stuff for a while, Muggle. Must I spell it out to you?" Her eyes widened.

"He's her admirer?"

"More of a stalker. Didn't you read the note?"

"Don't you think that's unhealthy?"

"It's only unhealthy if you start sending pictures and blood samples, Muggle. Other than that, it's perfectly ok."

"You're endorsing this?!"

"I'm not telling him he can't. Have you seen the body on that girl?"

"She'll be horrified!"

"So were you, but look where we are, Muggle." She stared at him and he stared back. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped. It wasn't worth getting into an argument over. Besides, he was right. She sighed. She hated it when he was wrong.

The song ended and Hermione began walking away to find Ron when Draco pulled her back into him.

"Wait," he whispered and they were gazing into each others eyes again. This was a nasty habit that they were picking up and it was starting to irk Draco. She gasped as his lips brushed hers and she was released. Stumbling backwards, she immediately lost sight of him.

"There really is something wrong with him," she murmured to herself. "There really is."

"Mione?" She turned around and smiled.

"Come on Ron. Lets dance."


	11. The Suffering: The Attack

**Recap:**

_"She'll be horrified!"_

_"So were you, but look where we are, Muggle." She stared at him and he stared back. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped. It wasn't worth getting into an argument over. Besides, he was right. She sighed. She hated it when he was wrong._

_The song ended and Hermione began walking away to find Ron when Draco pulled her back into him._

_"Wait," he whispered and they were gazing into each others eyes again. This was a nasty habit that they were picking up and it was starting to irk Draco. She gasped as his lips brushed hers and she was released. Stumbling backwards, she immediately lost sight of him._

_"There really is something wrong with him," she murmured to herself. "There really is."_

_"Mione?" She turned around and smiled._

_"Come on Ron. Lets dance."

* * *

_

Hermione cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors as the Gryffindor Quidditch team soared out onto the field, followed by the Slytherin team. She watched eagerly as Madam Hooch released the Snitch.

"I don't believe I need to say it at this point," she sighed, "Just play fair, or as fairly as possible, with you two teams. GO!!" She hurled the Quaffal into the air and Ginny snatched it. The game had begun. Hermione could see Harry and Draco high above the game, scoping out the field for the elusive Snitch.

It was halfway through the game when it happened. First, the sky seemed to shift. Dark, rolling clouds moved in, rumbling and lighting up a bit. Rain began coming down in a light drizzle which, within moments, became a torrent of rain. Students huddled together, peering out at the field to see what was going on on the field. The players could barely be seen as the zoomed past on their brooms. Then someone on the other side of the field screamed and soon everyone on the Hufflepuff end of the field was screaming. The rain was so thick, Hermione barely saw the flashes of bright colors coming from that side of the field. Suddenly, a darkly cloaked and masked man zoomed at them on a broom, wand out. Shouting out a curse, a jet of red hurtled at some students. Everyone screamed and shoved to get out of the way. Hermione leaned over the edge, eyes wide. Another man on a broom was firing curses at the bottom of the stands. An ominous creak sounded out and someone near her fainted as the stand began shaking. Tilting back and forth, frightened students clung to bars and benches in an attempt to hang on.

In the air, a battle was taking place. The Gryffindors on brooms had taken out their wands and were battling with the Death Eaters. Slytherins were no where to be seen. A sudden violent shake and shriek from the wood as it gave way and fell even more to it's side, still managing to stay up. However, some students, including Hermione, were thrown over and managed to cling to the railing to keep from falling. Biting her lip to keep from screaming, she threw up her other hand to grab the water slick rail. Suddenly, something hit her in the side and, crying out in pain, her fingers slipped and she was now hanging by one arm. The other was hanging limply at her side, broken. She turned her head around and screamed as she saw a Death Eater coming at her, wand out. He was almost on her when another broom came hurtling at him from below, knocking the Death Eater off his broom. Draco pulled up next to her.

"Get on!" he yelled and she shook her head. He moved the broom closer and under her. "You've got to fall!!" Closing her eyes, she let go of the railing and felt Draco's arms snatch her. She clutched his soaked through Quidditch robes as he held onto her with one arm. "Hold on!" He then hurtled downward in a freefall. Below them was another Death Eater, preoccupied with breaking another leg of the stand. Draco kept at him and pulled up at the last minute, swinging his legs off the broom and catching the Death Eater in the face. He came back around, settling onto the broom and shooting off across the field. The beating rain was causing them to wobble a bit but Draco's face was set. He glanced down at her to see her face burried in his chest. Suddenly, from above, hexes came down with the rain and Draco chanced a glance upwards. A Death Eater was following them. Draco knew they didn't know who they were shooting at or else they would have thought twice. Pulling upwards and back, he heard Hermione screaming as they were now flying upside down.

He saw the Death Eater hesitate and that was all he needed. "Hold on to me!" he yelled into her ear. With her only good arm, she wrapped it around his neck. He glanced down at her face to see her staring up at him in fear. "Trust me." She bit her lip and nodded. He let go of the broom with his legs and hung down as the broom continued to hurtle forwards. His wife held onto him tightly and he let go with one hand. Timing it right, he swung out his arm and hit the Death Eater in the stomach before he could be identified. He grabbed the guy's broom and turned it around, standing on it while holding onto his own broom. The Death Eater tried to straighten out but Draco kicked him again and he was doubled over.

"LOOK!!" Hermione screamed, nodding forward. Heading towards them through the pouring rain was another Death Eater. He kept the two brooms heading forward, which was difficult seeing as he had to balance between them and hold onto his injured wife.

Just as the three brooms were about to collide, Draco let go of the lower broom and yanked downwards on his own broom. Going into a dive, he barely heard the crash above over the sound of the thunder. Pulling up, they shot off across the field back towards the leaning stand. Taking out his wand, he muttered a spell. The wood began to place itself back into order and the stand straightened out.

The Death Eaters retreated and with them, the sudden storm, restoring the stillness of the November afternoon. Quidditch players were helping students and teachers back onto the ground as the others flooded out onto the field. Draco landed in a more secluded part and set Hermione down on the ground. She held onto him for a moment before letting go and looking up at him.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly. He nodded and then winced in pain. She frowned and looked over his body, eyes widdening in shock. "You're hurt," she told him, helping him sit down. He looked down to see a large gash in his side. It was bleeding uncontrollably. "Draco!" He stared up at her weakly.

"Oh calm down, mudblood," he grunted. "It's not that bad." But it was bad. The gashes were spreading to other parts of his body, opening and pouring out founts of blood.

"DRACO!!" she screamed, yanking off his robes only to find more of the gashes. "DRACO!!" He was gasping for breath and his eyes were rolling in his head. Tears running down her face, she looked up. "HELP!!! SOMEBODY HELP US!!!" She turned back to him. "Draco, please!!" He wasn't moving anymore as Hermione saw the crowd from the field running over. "Draco, NO!! WAKE UP!!" She was instantly surrounded and Ron, Harry, Ginny and Blaise found themselves in front. She looked up at Blaise, eyes shining. "He won't wake up!" she cried. Fortunately for her, everyone else mistook her tears for water from her hair. But Blaise wasn't fooled. She could see that she was genuinely scared for her husband's safety.

Dumbledore pushed his way to the front, Professor Snape and McGonnagal with him. Upon sighting Draco's unmoving body, he whipped out his wand and levitated the body. The silent crowd moved a side as he made his way up to the Castle. McGonagall stared around at the stunned students.

"I want all of you up in you dorms right now. No excuses. Nobody leaves until you are told so by your Head of House." As the students moved hurriedly up the hill, Harry and Ron helped Hermione to her feet.

"Are you ok, Hermione?" Ginny asked nervously. Hermione numbly nodded, her mind not on the conversation. Her mind was with Draco

_What would happen if he was dead_? she thought, her good arm immediately going to the chain around her neck. Her eyes closed_. God, protect him...he saved my life, save his_...

"Hermione? Is your arm ok?" She turned to Harry.

"I think I broke it."

* * *

Hermione watched as Madam Pomfrey handed her a potion.

"This should fix you right up," she said. "Just drink it up. Then I'll give you a Pepper-Up Potion so that you don't catch anything from being soaked through the way you were." Hermione nodded, downing the potion. She sat in a hospital bed in the infirmary of Hogwarts. Several other students were there, some asleep, others moaning in pain. But Hermione was watching one bed in particular.

"Madam Pomfrey?" she said, putting down the glass.

"Yes dear?" the woman asked as she tended to the patient in the next bed.

"How...What happened to Dr-Malfoy?" Madam Pomfrey stopped what she was doing and turned to look over at the silent bed, sighing.

"Hit by some bleeding spell, dear," the woman answered. "He was barely alive when Headmaster brought him up here. I gave him a blood replenishing potion but he keeps bleeding." She sighed again. "I don't know what to do." She left, leaving Hermione with a sense of dread creeping up her spine.

She waited until it was night to get out of bed and go over to where Draco lay. Closing the curtains around his bed, she sat down in the chair, staring at his face. It was deathly pale, practically matching his hair. Bandages were wrapped around his forehead, neck, shoulders, arms and chest and probably everywhere else on his body. She reached over and took his hands.

"Draco?" He did not move except for the shallow breathing. All the bandages seemed to be tinged with red, with some of them redder than others. Some of them looked like they were steadily gaining blood. "Draco, please wake up..." He groaned softly and his eyes fluttered open. He turned his head and looked at her.

"Muggle?" he whispered and she nodded. He looked around. "Where the hell am I?" She shivered. His voice was so soft and weak, it frightened her.

"You're in the infirmary," she told him. "You...you won't stop bleeding, Draco." He stared at her and she bit her lip, keeping down her tears. He flinched and closed his eyes in pain.

"Am I dying?" he whispered and she let out a sob, burrying her face in his hand.

"Stop it," she begged. "Please, just stop..." _Why was she acting like this? Why did she care if he died off or not?_ His other hand touched her cheek and she looked up at him. "Please don't die..." He moaned and motioned her forward. She leaned over and he caught her lips with his, making her cry harder. Sitting up on the bed, she deepened the kiss. This wasn't a kiss like before, filled with lust and passion. It was filled with fear, saddness, anger, rage, and something else that they refused to acknowledge but knew was there. "Please..." she murmured as they pulled apart. They gazed into each others eyes and he managed a smirk.

"Mudblood, I can't die. If I did, then what would happen to you? You'd probably run off with Weasley and then what?" She laughed despite herself and rested her head on his chest, silently crying. He stroked her hair, eyes closed in unbelievable pain. "I'll try, Hermione. I'll try. For you...and to keep Weasley's hands off of you...but mostly you..." His voice trailed off and she spent the rest of the night listening to his painful gasps for air. All night, she prayed for him. And all night, she waited.


	12. The Suffering: The Kiss

**ATTENTION!!! Ok, so I've been getting a lot of reviews for people begging for Ron and Harry and the rest of them to find out. Here's what I'm doing: in the next chapter, someone's gonna find out. Not telling you who, but someone is. And those of you talking about Snape, don't think he doesn't know. Didn't you notice his attitude during the first Potions class. He definitely knows. Don't worry, you'll hear more from him later on about the whole marriage deal. **

**Keep on Reviewing!! I love all of you steady reviewers, you make my day!! And, I am definitely taking your advice into consideration!!! Keep on reading and hope it pleases!! I'll try to get a couple more chappies in today so that you won't be too whiney over the weekdays, when I'm barely updating at all. Hope none of you go away!!**

**Read and Enjoy!!**

**Recap:**

_"You're in the infirmary," she told him. "You...you won't stop bleeding, Draco." He stared at her and she bit her lip, keeping down her tears. He flinched and closed his eyes in pain._

_"Am I dying?" he whispered and she let out a sob, burrying her face in his hand._

_"Stop it," she begged. "Please, just stop..." Why was she acting like this? Why did she care if he died off or not? His other hand touched her cheek and she looked up at him. "Please don't die..." He moaned and motioned her forward. She leaned over and he caught her lips with his, making her cry harder. Sitting up on the bed, she deepened the kiss. This wasn't a kiss like before, filled with lust and passion. It was filled with fear, saddness, anger, rage, and something else that they refused to acknowledge but knew was there. "Please..." she murmured as they pulled apart. They gazed into each others eyes and he managed a smirk._

_"Mudblood, I can't die. If I did, then what would happen to you? You'd probably run off with Weasley and then what?" She laughed despite herself and rested her head on his chest, silently crying. He stroked her hair, eyes closed in unbelievable pain. "I'll try, Hermione. I'll try. For you...and to keep Weasley's hands off of you...but mostly you..." His voice trailed off and she spent the rest of the night listening to his painful gasps for air. All night, she prayed for him. And all night, she waited._

_

* * *

_

"Hermione's been acting kind of funny lately."

"It's like we never noticed, Ronald."

"Well it's true!! She's always distracted, late for some of her classes, more stressed out than normal, if that's possible."

"She does seem to be out of it. Day dreaming during classes. It's kind of wierd."

"I wonder what happened over the summer that caused her to act that way."

"Hey! I have an idea! Write a letter to Fred and George!"

"Why?"

"They have contacts all over England, especially in London. If we're lucky, someone saw Hermione over the summer and that might give us a clue to what she was doing."

"I don't know, Gin. I don't want to get into anything Hermione doesn't want us to know."

"Oh come on, Harry! What could Hermione possibly have done over the summer that would be so horrible that she wouldn't want us to know?"

"I guess you're right. Alright, you right the twins. Maybe they'll have something on where she was over the break."

"When do you think she'll tell us?"

"When she's ready, Ron. She's got a lot to deal with right now."

* * *

Hermione wandered into the Great Hall after Madam Pomfrey had released her that morning. Draco had been unconscious when she woke up. 

"Hey! Hermione!!" Looking up, she smiled wanly and headed over to where her friends were sitting. "Your arm better?"

"Yeah, Madam Pomfrey fixed it up." Ginny blanched.

"What she do, cut you open?" Hermione frowned and looked down. Blood had soaked into her robes and shirt. Biting her lip, she shook her head.

"I haven't changed since the game," she told them. "This must be Draco's..." Ron scowled.

"Is he still up there?" he asked and Hermione nodded.

"He won't stop bleeding," she explained. Harry wrinkled his nose and changed the subject to the attack yesterday.

"They're cancelling Hogsmeade trips this month and next as saftey precautions," he told them. "Apparently, the Death Eaters got passed one of the charms on the school and the Ministry was furious about it." Ginny glanced up and smiled.

"Owls," she said excitedly. Owls descended upon the tables with packages and letters. Hedwig landed near Ginny and held her leg out. Hermione watched her.

"Who's it from, Gin?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just sent a letter to the twins about something is all," Ginny told her. She opened the letter and began reading. Halfway through reading the letter, she gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide. The trio looked at her.

"What's up, Gin?" Ron asked curiously. Gin glanced at him and then continued reading her letter. Folding it and putting it in her pocket, she leaned over and muttered something into Harry's ear. She then stood and left the Hall. Hermione frowned after her.

"That was odd," she muttered, turning to Harry. "What was that about?" Harry shrugged, staring after Ginny.

The trio left soon afterwards and went back to the Gryffindor commons. Hermione excused herself and went up the girls' staircase to take a shower. The boys lounged on the couch when Ginny appeared, glancing up the stairs.

"She in the shower?" she asked and the boys nodded, leaning forward eagerly.

"What did you find out?" Harry asked.

"You'll never guess what the twins found out. They said that one of their clients live near the Malfoys. Well, this client was out on a walk with his wife and glanced into the Malfoy grounds to see two young men and a young lady standing near a lake. He said that on second glance, the woman looked very familiar and only after Fred had mentioned it to him that he recognized it as Hermione!! Hermione was at the Malfoy house!!" The boys looked at her, only shock evident on her face.

"What the hell would she be doing at the Malfoy house?" Ron almost yelled. Ginny shushed him, glancing up the stairs.

"Not so loud Ron!" Harry shook his head.

"Are you sure that's what they said, Gin?" Ginny handed him the letter and they both read it. Even Fred sounded shocked through his words. "What do we do?" Ron stood.

"We ask her about it!"

"No!" Ginny told him, pulling him back to his seat. "We say nothing. We ask Hermoine about her being with Malfoy at his house and she wonders how we even know this in the first place. She'll know we've been prying. We'll just have to wait until she tells us." Ron's eyes buldged in anger.

"Wait until she tells us? Why the hell do you think she would tell us she was over at Malfoy's?!!"

"Settle down, mate," Harry snapped. "Look, we don't know what Hermione was doing at Malfoy's house, only that she was there. For all we know, she was forced there. Maybe she was sworn to secrecy about something, who knows. We can't jump to conclusions about anything, ok? Let's just wait her out and if she doesn't tell us sometime after the Christmas holidays, then we talk to her about it. Maybe something happened to her there that's too traumatic to talk about yet. Give her the benefit of the doubt and play dumb, ok?" Ginny nodded in agreement. Ron, who still looked extremely unhappy about the fact that the girl he had a major crush on was at the house of his mortal enemy, nodded grudgingly also.

* * *

Blaise headed into the infirmary and sat down next to Draco's bed. 

"Oi! Get up!" he snapped. The man in the bed groaned and opened his eyes slowly.

"Hermione?" Blaise nearly fell out of his chair at that.

"No, mate it's me," he corrected and Draco closed his eyes.

"Why don't you leave me alone so I can die in peace?" he snarled.

"You'd probably want Hermione here with you though," Blaise said and Draco's eyes opened and he turned his head to look at him.

"What the hell are you implying, Zambini?" he demanded. Blaise leaned back in his chair, studying his friend closely.

"You're falling for her." Draco's eyes widened in instant horror.

"You're mad!"

"Don't bullshit me, Draco. I know you better than you do. I saw it in your eyes after about a month." Draco was glaring now.

"Shut up, Blaise."

"Why the hell do you think you're so addicted to her?"

"Shut up, Blaise."

"The way you both sneak off...it wasn't normal."

"SHUT UP!!" Blaise's mouth snapped shut. Draco's eyes were closed as he fought to control his emotions. Blaise leaned over.

"Tell me, are you honestly falling for the muggle?" he whispered. Draco kept his eyes closed.

"She was here last night," he told the Slytherin. "She cried herself to sleep. Wouldn't stop..." Blaise smiled.

"You know what I think? I think you two are in a posistion to fall just as hard for each other as your parents did for each other." Draco groaned.

"This is my life story. To follow in my father's footsteps." Suddenly, the smile on Blaise's face fell off as he remembered why he was here. Draco opened his eyes and stared at his black friend. Blaise stood, handing Draco a vial.

"You're about to be too right, Draco."

* * *

Hermione noticed a change in her friends attitude towards her. Yes, they were still talking and laughing with her, but there was a different air about them. It was as if they were watching her carefully and it was unnerving. 

Draco had rejoined the Slytherins in a miraculous healing that Hermione knew had to be another Slytherin's doing.

"Hermione?" She snapped her head back to the Gryffindor table, which was staring at her with a look of concern.

"What?" This seemed to panic them a bit more but they let the question drop. Hermoine sighed and looked down at her untouched food. Ever since the attack on the Quidditch field, Hermione had become more and more distant from all of them, day dreaming a lot more and secluding herself in the library for long periods of time. Even her teachers were noticing something.

"Ms. Granger, could you stay behind for a moment, I'd like to talk to you," Professor McGonagall said. Hermione jumped and turned around. It had been awhile since she had heard that name and it was wierd. After all the students filed out, Hermione sat down in front of the Professor's desk. McGonagall studied her student carefully. The young woman was slouching slightly in her chair, exhaustion evident in the circles under her eyes. "Ms. Granger, is something bothering you lately? You seem to be a bit lax in class lately." Hermione's eyes widened in horror.

"Professor, I'm doing all I can!! I'm doing my homework and I'm stu-"

"Ms. Granger, I am not referring to your class and homework. They are fine. I am talking about your ability to focus in class. Yes, you answer every question correctly, but it takes you awhile to even realize that you've even been asked a question. The other teachers tell me the same thing. You've been late on more than one occasion to more than just my class. Professor Snape says your are late practically every class, even though your marks in the class have never been higher. Could you possibly tell me what has caused this enormous shift?" Hermione was staring at her shoes now, unable to look her professor in the eye.

"No," she replied. "I can't. I'll promise I'll try and work on it, it's just that, this summer and this year have been a little...hectic." McGonagall eyed her.

"Mrs. Weasley tells me that you did not go to the Burrow like you had planned, even though your parents were there. Where were you?" Hermione shrugged, not trusting herself to speak. Sighing, her teacher stood. "You may go then, Ms. Granger. And do think about what we discussed." Nodding, she gathered her things and hurried out. Exhaling, she rushed down the hall and right into Draco, who had come looking for her. He frowned.

"What were you doing in there?" he asked. She moved past him and continued down the hall. He caught up with her, catching her arm and stopping her. "Hello? What's going on?" She looked up at him, fingering her wand angrilly.

"You need to stop trying to find me in the hallways. Professor McGonagall just talked to me about being late to my classes and never paying attention and it's all your fault." He leaned in and kissed her softly. She was about to pull away when she stopped. _What was this?_ she thought as his hands rubbed her arms. His lips were gentle against her, not demanding and impatient like she was used to. She reached up, cupping his chin and deepening the kiss. But it wasn't a normal kiss. It wasn't fiery and wanting, hard and unwilling. It was soft and pleading, asking not for anything more than this. It was perfect. Pulling away, he moved down the hallway. She watched his retreating back, shock on her face. Touching her lips, could still feel the tingle of peppermint and giggled. Smiling, she practically skippped to her next class.

Harry and Ron looked up to see Hermione come into the DADA classroom, the hugest smile on her face. Blaise, who was on the other side of the room, frowned and turned to Draco. The blonde cocked an eyebrow, daring his friend to say something.

"You ok, Hermione?" Ron asked as Hermione flounced into a seat between him and Harry.

"Yeah, Ron," she sighed, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. "Why?" Harry shrugged.

"Well, you just look...happy. I don't think I've seen you smile that much since you've gotten to Hogwarts." She blushed.

"Well, I can't stay unhappy the whole time, can I?"

* * *

"RON!!! RON, STOP!!" But it was no use. The redhead's temper had gotten to him and he and Draco were now in swirling mass of fists, feet and wands. Everyone was against the wall, eyes wide in shock. Even Tonks didn't look like she knew what to do. 

This is what happened:

"Can any of you guys tell me what sex is to you?" Everyone laughed. "Boys first." Blaise poked Draco and, rolling his eyes, he raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Draco smirked.

"Sex is art, it's either really good or really bad. There is no middle ground in it." Tonks rose an eyebrow.

"What do you use sex as, Mr. Malfoy?"

"You can use sex for anything. To have a good laugh, to relieve stress, to create stress, anything. Me, I use sex to..." He turned his eyes on Hermione, grinning maliciously. "To get my way. I like listening to women scream my name." Her face flushed as he leaned down towards her. "Of course, there's always the chance that it's really good sex, which doesn't happen often, mind you. If it's really good sex, you better make sure the person's a virgin. Now that," he said, face close to Hermione's, "Brilliant sex."

And that's basically what happened.

"RON!!!" Hermione was hovering on the edge of the fight, glaring at them both. "RONALD WEASLEY!!" She turned to Tonks for help. Eyeing the fight warily, she flicked out her wand.

"_Impedimenta!!"_ she cried and the boys were blown back into the wall. Draco lept to his feat, blood pouring from a cut on the side of his face.

"COME ON, WEASLEY!!" he roared, wand out. Ron lunged at him and Draco side stepped, lashing out. A gash appeared in Ron's chest and he yelped in pain. Harry, Seamus and Dean grabbed Ron before he could come around for another charge. Draco straightened up, glaring. "Keep your animal on a leash, Potter. He could get seriously hurt next time." With that, he stormed out of the room. Tonks sighed.

"Class, dismissed," she sighed. Once outside, Hermione turned on Ron, who was nursing a bruised arm.

"Ronald Weasley, WHAT WAS THAT?!?!" she screamed at him. Ron looked shocked.

"Did you hear what he said to-"

"Of course I heard, Ron!! I was right there! That doesn't give you any right to try and beat him up for it!! He didn't do anything he normally doesn't do so I don't know why you got so worked up!! So he taunts me about sex, so what?!! It's not like I'm an innocent little girl and you have to protect me all the time, Ron. Stop assuming I'm an innocent!!" Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

"But you are, Hermione." Hermione turned around to see Ginny standing behind her. Flushing, she glared.

"What are you talking about, Ginny?" The redhead rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Hermione. We're all mature enough to talk about this. Everyone in school know's you're a virgin. Stop trying to lie to Ron." Hermione wanted to scream. _What was going on here!!_ She poked Ginny irritatedly in the chest.

"Look, Ginny," she snapped. "You don't know what I've been through. You don't know how many times I have to...ugh!!" With that, she turned on her heel and stormed away.

"Got her mad, didn't you Weasel?" The three Gryffindors turned around. Blaise was watching them, Draco behind him. Draco eyed Ginny.

"You know, you really don't have the right to point fingers, Weaslette," he drawled. "You're not exactly experienced, either." Ginny was red and the boys pulled out their wands.

"Get out of here before we have a repeat of inside, Malfoy," Harry growled. Blaise laughed and stepped forward so that he was face to face with Harry.

"Why don't you make me, Scarhead?" he hissed. Draco nodded and motioned for Blaise to follow him. He then paused, glancing back over his shoulder.

"By the way, you're little Hermione? She's not as innocent as you think she is. Keep that in mind the next time you try and protect her. That's not your job anymore." Blaise smirked, leaning over.

"That's right, it's yours," he whispered. Draco glanced at him.

"Only mine."


	13. The Suffering: The Letters

**Recap:**

_"You know, you really don't have the right to point fingers, Weaslette," he drawled. "You're not exactly experienced, either." Ginny was red and the boys pulled out their wands._

_"Get out of here before we have a repeat of inside, Malfoy," Harry growled. Blaise laughed and stepped forward so that he was face to face with Harry._

_"Why don't you make me, Scarhead?" he hissed. Draco nodded and motioned for Blaise to follow him. He then paused, glancing back over his shoulder._

_"By the way, you're little Hermione? She's not as innocent as you think she is. Keep that in mind the next time you try and protect her. That's not your job anymore." Blaise smirked, leaning over._

_"That's right, it's yours," he whispered. Draco glanced at him._

_"Only mine."_

_

* * *

_

They pulled apart and Draco moved his lips down her neck.

"Draco?"

"Hmmm..yeah, Muggle?"

"Earlier, when you kissed me..." He rose his head up and stared at her.

"You mean this?" He leaned in and kissed her, the same soft, tender kiss as before that made her melt into his arms. He pulled away from her and she nodded.

"Yes. What possessed you to do that?" He reached up and touched her cheek. He kissed the corner of her mouth, smiling slightly when he heard her sigh, tilting her head up, he kissed her down he neck and around her collarbone and back up to her mouth.

"I don't know," he whispered, gazing into her eyes. "Tell me something. What would you do if I died?" She blinked, a bit taken aback by his question.

"I...I don't know," she said truthfully. "I mean..."

"Would you cry?" She ran her fingers over her lips and then sat up in bed.

"Would you cry if I died?" she asked him. He stared at her and shook his head.

"No. I wouldn't."

"Why?"

"Malfoy's don't cry on the outside, just like we don't show pain on the outside. We hurt on the inside."

"Just like you love on the inside?" He sat up and touched her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb. Her eyes closed. "Just like you keep everything on the inside?"

"Yes, Hermione. I don't show emotion on the outside." Her eyes opened.

"But I do," she whispered. She leaned in, resting her head on his chest. "I would cry."

"Tears of joy?" he murmured, stroking her hair gently. She shook her head.

"No. Tears of pain." He tilted her head to look at him. "I wasn't lying to you when I said that I wouldn't know what to do if you died." He saw tears roll down her cheeks and he kissed them away.

"I know," he told her. "I know." They fell back into the bed, kissing fiercely. He had her night clothes off in a minute when she stopped him. "What?" he whispered. She sat up, pulling her bare legs under her chin.

"Did you mean it when you said that...what you said about me?" He smiled and leaned up, kissing her leg softly.

"Lay out for me," he asked her. Doing as he said, she stretched out on the bed. He pulled off the rest of her clothes so that she was complete naked. He ran his hand up her leg, around her back and up to her neck. He rolled her over so that she wasn't facing him and kissed her from her hip to her toes. He could feel her shivering and rested his head on the side of her stomach. "You're beautiful," he murmured into her skin, getting up and turning her over. She stared up into his eyes and he leaned in, kissing her softly. "Yes, I meant it."

* * *

The Christmas Ball was coming up. It was scheduled so that those leaving for the holidays would still get to enjoy it. It was then that her problems started. 

Ron sat down next to her in the Gryffindor common room, where she sat doing her homework with Ginny.

"Hey, Hermione," he said. She glanced at him

"Hello Ron," she greeted. "What's up?"

"Um, well I was wondering, well that is, Ginny and I were wondering if you wanted to come to the Burrow with us for Christmas?" Hermione froze. _Wonderful,_ she thought._ Just what I need._

A week ago, Draco had made it painfully obvious that his mother wanted to see her for the holidays. She and Narcissa had been keeping close correspondance so it was little wonder that she wanted to see her only daughter-in-law.

"I'll have to owl my mum," she said, turning to him. "I'll ask her about it, ok?" Ron nodded, smiling. Ginny glanced around and smirked. Knocking down her ink bottle, she faked a gasp.

"Oh shoot! I'll go get another bottle," she said, getting up and running up to her room. Hermione didn't seem to have noticed that she had left, engrossed in her homework. Ron shifted uncomfortably and took a deep breath.

"Um, Hermione?"

"Hmmm, Ron?"

"Um, you know the Ball is in a few days, right?"

"Hmmm..."

"Well, I was wondering...doyawanngotodaballwidmeh?" Hermione blinked. If she hadn't been following what he had been saying before, she definitely didn't get what he had just said now.

"Excuse me, Ron?" she asked, putting down her quill. He sighed, pulling together what courage he had left.

"I asked, Did you want to go to the Ball with me?" She blinked again, staring at him. Her mind had gone blank. She found herself nodding.

"Sure, Ron," she found herself saying. "I'll go with you." He was smiling and she was smiling. This all happened as if she was watching a movie. "Now go! I have to finish my homework!" Nodding, he leapt up and scampered up the stairs to tell Harry. After a moment, Hermione gathered her things together, put them in the bag and was about to leave when she saw an envelope slip through the bottom of the portrait door. Frowning, she picked it up and read the front.

_"For Red,"_ she read and gasped. "Blaise," she whispered. Hurrying up the stairs, she found Ginny's door open. "Ginny, this came for you." She handed the letter to Ginny, who, upon seeing who it was, giggled and opened the letter. She read it silently and giggled again, handing the letter to Hermione. On it was written:

_**What Is It That I Love? **_

If asked why I love her I would say  
It's the sway in her hips,  
the thickness in her thighs.  
It's the lust in her lips,  
the love in her eyes.  
It's the softness of her skin,  
the silk in her hair.  
It's the twist in her walk;  
it's the sweetness in her talk.  
It's the way she loves me  
that makes me love her each day.  
That is what I would say.

- Justin Hutchins -

_From, Your Stalker_

Hermione gapped and Ginny smiled.

"Ginny, have you been getting letters like this for a while?" Nodding, Ginny opened a drawer, inside it, neatly stacked, were about thirty or forty little envelopes identical to the one she held.

"They all hold some little sayin or something he wrote," Ginny explained. "Here, listen to this one." She ruffled through the stack and pulled out an envelope. Taking out the letter, she smiled.

"_Love is hating being with you, yet can't stand being without you. Love is hating up close and loving from a distance. Love is hating seeing you and thinking about you when you're gone. Love is hating your guts, and then loving your soul. Love is hating the fact that I hate you and hating you even more for the fact that I love you even more. _

_Love is always accompanied with hate, and my love, we hate each other. We can not help it. But I wish, for one day, you could not hate me for who you think I am but love me for who I really am. _

_For, you do not know me as anything but hate, and, if you knew who I was, then you would disgust yourself. So, for now, I will hate you for the very reason that I love you._

_From, Your Stalker"_ Ginny looked up to see Hermione with tears in her eyes. Startled, she stood, rubbing her friends back. "Hermione, honey, what is it?" She shook her head, brushing away the tears.

"Nothing, it's nothing, really," she muttered. "It was just really sweet." Ginny smiled.

"Isn't it?" She fell back in her bed. "Oh Hermione, is it possible to fall in love with someone you don't know?" Hermione smiled.

"Yes." Ginny turned to her.

"He told me he was at the Masquerade and that we actually danced!! I think it was Dark, the boy that was with your friend. Oh, I met him and I didn't even know!!" She fell back in the bed.

"Now, Ginny, don't get carried away. You heard what he said." Ginny sat up, frowning.

"Yeah, he writes that a lot, like he's afraid I'm going to fall in love with him."

"You are falling in love with him."

"Yes, but why is he scared." Hermoine sighed. _Because he's afraid you'll reject him,_ she thought. "I wouldn't!" Hermione jerked.

"Did I say that out loud?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's probably true. His identity might be so horrible in real life that even a thousand letters would make you hate him more." Ginny shook her head and Hermione was shocked to see tears in her eyes.

"Who could he possibly be that I would hate him upon seeing him?" she asked. Hermione turned to look out a window.

"What if he was a Slytherin?" Ginny actually laughed.

"Hermione, you'be gone mad. Why would a Slytherin send me letters like this?"

"But what if it was?" Hermione insisted, turning back. "What would you do then?" Ginny stared at her for a moment.

"You know who it is, don't you?" she murmured. Hermione blinked.

"What?"

"You know who my stalker is!!" Hermione leapt to her feet.

"I don't!" Ginny stood.

"Then why are you so insistant upon my stalker being Slytherin?" Hermione opened her mouth but couldn't think of anything to say. Ginny had a hand over her mouth, shock running over her face. "It is a Slytherin, isn't it?" Hermione sighed and nodded. Ginny sank into her bed, staring at the letter.

"Ginny, you have to understand something-"

"Why would a Slytherin look at me?" she whispered, eyes closed. "He was so nice. He held me like I was a China doll when we danced, not too close yet not to far. Just right. I think I knew then he was my stalker...he was whispering all kinds of things into my ear..." She burried her face into her hands. "Why did he have to be Slytherin?!" Hermione stared at her for a moment.

"Why not?" Ginny looked up sharply.

"You can't be serious?"

"Why couldn't it have been a Slytherin?" Ginny eyed her critically.

"Hermione, what happened this summer?" Hermione backed up.

"What?"

"I owled Fred and George and they owled me back saying one of their clients saw you at Malfoy's house this summer." Hermione's eyes widened in shock, horror and most of all anger.

"Why were you prying around about me, Ginny?!" she yelled. Ginny glared at her friend.

"I was concerned about my best friends saftey!! I wanted to know that nothing bad happened to her over the summer!! Now answer the question!"

"No!! I don't have to explain myself to you! I can't believe you Ginny!! You're supposed to trust me!!"

"How can I if you won't even talk to me!! We barely talk anymore, Hermione!! You're always in the Library or at class or somewhere nobody knows! You day dream all the time and when you're not doing that, you're yelling at Ron!! What else were we supposed to do!"

"You mean Ron and Harry know about this?!"

"Yes! We all read the letter!!" Hermione clutched her head, not believe this was all happening. Ginny touched her arm, the anger in her face replaced with concern. "Hermione, please. Please tell me what happened over the summer." Hermione stared at her for a moment and then sighed. She closed the door and magically sound proofed it.

"Ok, I'll tell you. But I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. Swear to me you won't tell anybody, Ginny."

"Of course, Hermione!" Hermione sighed and bit her lip.

"You know how I said that I was supposed to come to the Burrow for summer, right." Ginny nodded. "Well, I was supposed to, but when I go home...Malfoy, his dad and Blaise Zambini were there." Ginny gasped. "What happened was..."

For two hours, Hermione retold her summer and what happened prior to the Quidditch game attack. Ginny hung onto every word and was totally silent when Hermione was done. Hermione brushed away some tears that had rolled down her cheek and waited patiently. Ginny stood and walked to the window. She then turned around and hugged Hermione tightly.

"Oh Hermione!" she cried. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know...Oh, what you've been through, and what I said-" Hermione shook her head, smiling through fresh tears.

"It's alright, Ginny," she said. "I just, I'm glad you know. I needed to tell someone." Ginny nodded and then frowned.

"What about Ron?" Hermione sighed.

"I don't know...I mean, I like him, but lately, Draco and I..what is it Ginny?" Ginny had giggled when Hermione had said 'Draco and I'.

"I don't know, I just think that it's funny that you called him...well, you know." Hermione smiled wanly.

"_Malfoy_ and I, well, something happened yesterday, and last night..." Ginny tilted her head to the side.

"I heard about what Malfoy said during the sex-ed class. Was he talking about you?" Hermione blushed and gave Ginny a playful shove.

"I don't kiss and tell, Gin," she said.

"More like shag and tell," Ginny corrected and Hermione blushed even more. "So he was..."

"My first," Hermione finished, leaning back in the bed. "That night...Lord knows, we both haven't been the same since." Ginny leaned in.

"Is it true what they say about...you know, the size?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"GINNY!!"

"What?!

"Ginny, he's my husband!"

"Yeah, so?" Hermione sighed.

"No, it's not true. Whoever said that was blind."

"So?"

"So what??"

"How long is it? A lot of girls I talked to say that its not very long."

"Sore, that's what they are. Lets just say that it's like two of his wands, ok?" Ginny's eyes were like dinner plates and Hermione laughed. "Ginny, STOP!!"


	14. The Suffering: The Mark

**Recap:**

_"Ginny, he's my husband!"_

_"Yeah, so?" Hermione sighed._

_"No, it's not true. Whoever said that was blind."_

_"So?"_

_"So what??"_

_"How long is it? A lot of girls I talked to say that its not very long."_

_"Sore, that's what they are. Lets just say that it's like two of his wands, ok?" Ginny's eyes were like dinner plates and Hermione laughed. "Ginny, STOP!!"_

_

* * *

_

Hermione opened the portrait door to the Head Commons and smiled when she saw Blaise sitting in one of the chairs.

"Hey, love," she greeted, sitting down on the couch. He glanced at her.

"Muggle," he replied and she giggled.

"Where's Malfoy?" she asked. Blaise flinched and glanced at her again.

"Lucius came and flooed him out. Family business." Hermione frowned but let it go.

"She got your letter. It was really sweet, Blaise." He snorted. She smiled. "In fact, she sent something back." Blaise looked at her, confused. Hermione walked to the portrait door and opened it. Ginny stepped in, the envelopes in her arms. Blaise shot to his feet, face emotionless. Hermoine pushed Ginny into the room and than rushed upstairs, closing the door behind her. Ginny stared down at her shoes, putting the letters on the table. Blaise sank back into his chair, watching her closely. She chanced a look at him.

"Why...why me?" she asked, her voice soft as she began toying her her red curls. He shrugged, staring into the dying fire.

"I don't know," he muttered. "Why don't you try asking me why I breathe next, Red." She smiled and sat down on the couch.

"You knew who I was at the Masquerade?" Blaise nodded, still not looking at her. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Haven't you been reading any of my letters, Weasley?" She stared at him as he rose to his feet. "I'm leaving." He was halfway to the portrait when he felt her hand on his shoulder. He froze, staring at her pale hand. She bit her lip in slight fear as he turned around, facing her for the first time. He wasn't as tall as Draco but he was still tall, compared to Ginny's petit 5'4". Anything over six feet was tall for her. She tilted her head back to look into his eyes.

"Why did you think it would matter?" she asked quietly, her heart in her throat. He stepped closer, his face deathly close to hers.

"It does matter," he told her and she felt tears spring into her eyes.

"No it doesn't," she insisted. "If it did, then you wouldn't have ever sent those letters, and those roses!!" He shoved her into the wall, her arms pinned at her side. She bit her lip to keep from crying out loud. His mouth was next to her ear.

"I told you, Red," he hissed. "I told you that I'm not a nice person. I'm not a fairy tale prince. I'm a Slytherin and I won't change my ways for anyone, least of all for you. So why the hell are you here?" She stared up into his dark eyes, pain in her own green ones.

"Because you sent me those letters," she whispered. "Because I fell in love with the person who sent those letters. Because I fell in love with you..." He reached up, touching her cheek. Her pale skin contrasted sharply with his dark fingers as they caressed her lips.

"You're brother or Potter won't be too happy about this," he told her and she smiled wanly.

"Let them be angry," she murmured as his lips came closer to hers. "I don't care."

Hermione smiled as she saw them kiss, pulling each other closer to stay in the moment. Shutting the door, she crawled into her bed and fell asleep.

* * *

Blaise stirred and shifted around. His hand came into contact with skin and his eyes opened. The redhead lay next to him on the couch, still asleep. Smiling slightly, he looked towards the burned out fireplace. It shifted around and fire whooshed up. When it died out again, Draco Malfoy fell to the ground, shaking. He was drenched in cold sweat. Getting off the couch, Blaise helped Draco to sit up against the wall. The blonde was shaking violently as he struggled to get a hold of himself. Ginny rolled over and opened her eyes. Catching sight of Draco, she sat up. 

"What happened?" she asked quietly. Draco stared at her in shock but Blaise nodded his head.

"It's ok," he told him. "She knows." Draco's head rested back against the wall.

"Get Hermione," he managed out. Blaise glanced at Ginny and she hurried up the stairs. Opening the door, she moved over to the bed.

"Hermione, wake up," she whispered hurriedly, shaking Hermione. The girl stirred and sat up.

"What is it?" she asked sleepily.

"It's Malfoy," Ginny told her and the Head Girl was out of her bed in a flash. She ran down the stairs and skidded to a halt in front of Draco's panting form. She kneeled down next to him, touching his face.

"Draco," she whispered. "Draco, what happened?" He didn't answer right away. Then he motioned to Blaise, waving away. Blaise took the hint and, taking Ginny's arm, he led her outside onto the balcony so that Draco could talk to Hermoine in private. Hermione watched them for a second and then turned back to Draco. He closed his eyes, reaching over and pulling up the sleeve of his right arm. She let out a small scream, falling backwards. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the grotesque skull and snake that leered out at her, looking like a ominous blight on his deeply pale skin.

"Hermione..." He didn't have strength to explain to her. She probably wouldn't have listned. She stared from his eyes to the Dark Mark and back, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Draco, how...why..." She burst into uncontrollable sobs and pulled away from him, curling up next to the couch to cry. Ginny and Blaise came in at the sound of her cries and Blaise clamped his hand over Ginny's mouth before she could scream at the sight of the Dark Mark on Draco's arm. Draco struggled to his feet and moved over to sit next to Hermione. She tried pulling away from him but he grabbed her hands.

"Hermione, listen to me," he growled. She shook her head and he continued anyway. "Whatever you do, you cannot tell anyone about this, ok?" He pulled her into him and she continued to sob as she nodded. "You can't tell a soul." He glanced at Ginny, who's eyes were wide in horror and anger. She pulled away from Draco, glaring.

"You traitor!!" she screamed at him. "How could you do this to her!! Don't you care about her? What the hell has she done that you have to make her cry like that!?!?!" Draco stood, stumbling a bit but glaring. He pushed his finger into her chest.

"Listen, Red," he snarled. "I know what I'm doing. And as for making her cry, I care about her more than you even know, so don't you even judge me. Blaise, get her back to her house and then bring me a potion." Before Ginny could protest, Blaise pushed her out the door. She turned to him.

"How long has he-"

"Last night, Red," Blaise snapped, taking her arm and pulling her along towards her common room. She yanked her arm out of his hand, staring at him. He stopped and turned around. She bit her lip.

"Are you..." She didn't want to finish the sentence. He stepped closer to her and cupped her face, kissing her gently.

"No," he told her, pulling away and turning back down the hall. She caught up with him.

"Why?" He laughed.

"Why aren't I a Death Eater?" She blushed and nodded, stopping as he turned to her. "Becuase I got lucky," he told her. "The Dark Lord is more interested in Malfoys, anyway. Always been helping him, that family, so it's only natural that Draco takes up position."

"No it's not!!" Ginny exclaimed. "Did you see the way he looked at her?! Have you been around them while their together? I've only known for less than a day and even I can see that they're in love! Why is he doing this to her?"

"Because he doesn't have a choice!"

"Everyone has a choice!!" He pulled her into him, kissing her fiercely. She gasped as they stumbled back into the wall. She bit her lip when he finally pulled away.

"That's why he did it," he whispered onto her lips. "Because he doesn't want her to get hurt."

"So becoming a Death Eater-"

"She's less of a target! Draco knows how to keep her safe from Death Eaters. He can keep a better eye out on who is being targeted and if they come after her, he can keep her safe. Besides, not everyone has a choice on what they can become, Red." She reached up and touched his lips, barely breathing.

"Am I a target?" she whispered.

"You're dad's a muggle lover, Red. What do you think?" She looked up into his eyes.

"Will you protect me?" He smiled and kissed her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer while deepening the kiss.

Back in the Head common room, Draco had Hermione in his lap as he sat on the floor. She finally stopped sobbing, but tears still fell as she looked up at him.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why now? Why you??" He stroked her neck and kissed it.

"Because I have to," he told her.

"No you don't."

"Hermione-"

"NO!!" She pulled away from him. "I care about you!! I care and if you died in that war, what would I do?! Draco, didn't you even think about what side of this war I'm on?" He watched her and leaned his head back against the couch, eyes closed.

"I don't want to have this conversation with you, Hermione," he told her and she slapped him. He stared at her and she slapped him again, sobbing. He caught her hand, crushing his lips to hers. She cried harder as she moved closer.

"I love you," she whispered into his lips. "I love you, Draco..." He pulled away, staring at her with obvious shock. She bit her lip. "Please...ple..." She fell into his chest, not able to finish as her throat closed in on her. He held her numbly, staring at the dead fire. _I love you too, Hermione..._he thought, pulling her closer. _God, I love you so much...

* * *

_

"What do you mean, YOU CAN'T COME?!"

"Ron, lower your voice!! People are looking! Yes, I can't come. I have to be with family."

"Your parent are staying with us, too!!"

"Oh. Well, my family doesn't just consist of my parents, Ronald. I have cousins and such...Besides, Ginny is coming with me."

"What?!!"

"Yes, Harry. Hermione asked me to come meet her cousins and stuff."

"But...But you can't!!"

"Oh, Ronald! You're acting like a four year old. Look, I'll talk to you later when you can be a bit more mature about this. Come on, Ginny. The ball's tonight. I have to fix up my face." Ginny giggled and the two girls rushed off to Hermione's room, where they were going to get ready. Ginny had brought her dress along with her. Hermione was in the shower while Ginny was using the bedroom, plucking her eyebrows. She walked over and opened the bathroom door.

"Hermione, do you ha- AHH!" She slammed to door shut, eyes closed as she tried to get the image out of her head. Biting her lip to keep from laughing, she went back to the mirror. Hermione poked her head out of the bathroom, face red.

"Umm... what is it, Ginny?" Ginny giggled.

"I was just wondering if you had any lipstick in there?" Hermione disappeared and Ginny listened to a very pissed off Draco Malfoy yell at her. She reappeared and tossed over a makeup case. Ginny rose an eyebrow at Hermione. "No seperate showers over here, are there?"

"No privacy either," came Draco's voice. Hermione smiled and the door closed. She got back into the shower, arching her back slightly at the scalding water. "Stupid women," Draco continued to mutter. "Can't get privacy while they're over here."

* * *

Blaise and Draco sat in the Head Commons, waiting impatiently for the girls to come down. The door opened to Hermione's room and Ginny stepped out, wearing a blue-green chiffon with lace up high heels and her hair up in a bun with curls falling from it. Blaise smiled as she came down, picking up her bag and taking his arm. They turned back to where Hermione was now standing. Draco's lips parted but he couldn't speek. She wore a lavender gown that hugged her chest and hips and flowed about her legs. Her hair was done up intricately, with tendrils of honey hanging down the side of her face. She came down and faced him. 

"So?" she asked. He only stared at her. "Draco, you're staring." His mouth closed and he turned on his heels and left the common room. She closed her eyes, sighing. He had been acting like this ever since he found out that she was going with Ron. Blaise whispered something to Ginny and left also. Ginny took Hermione's arm and smiled.

"Come on, Hermione," she said. "Let's go meet the boys."

Heading into the Great Hall, the girls swiftly found the boys. Ron gaped at Hermione.

"Wow, Hermione!!" he managed out. "You look...Wow!" She blushed and took his arm. Ginny took Harry's and they found a seat at a table with Seamus, Neville, Dean and their dates. Hermione looked around the Hall.

"They really out did themselves on this one, didn't they?" she observed. Parvati, who was with Dean, nodded.

"Did you hear? They're also getting a few Muggle singers in here!"

"No!" Ginny leaned in, eyes wide. "But they'll know about us!" Parvati shook her head.

"The Muggles will think that they're preforming for some birthday party bash or something. They won't remember how they got here or any form of magic that they see throughout the night. Just that they preformed." Ginny picked up a menu from the table.

"Is this going to be like at the Yule ball?" Hermione took a menu and leaned forward.

"Grilled chicken," she said to her plate. The food appeared on her plate and the others smiled and began ordering. After eating and chatting, the music began playing. It was Sir Mix-a-lot preforming. The girls got up and headed onto the floor.

_I like big butts and I can not lie  
You other brothers can't deny  
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist  
And a round thing in your face  
You get sprung, wanna pull out your tough  
'Cause you notice that butt was stuffed_

Every guy was watching intently as the girls moved to the song. The Slytherins were howling with laughter, pushing and joking with Draco, who was leaning back in his chair, smirking as his wife was out in front of all the girls.

_My homeboys tried to warn me  
But with that butt you got makes me feel so horny  
Ooh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin  
You say you wanna get in my Benz?  
Well, use me, use me  
'Cause you ain't that average groupy  
I've seen them dancin'  
The hell with romancin'  
She's sweat, wet,  
Got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette_

A groan went up amongst the boys as Hermione bent down low, coming up slowly while biting her lip and tossing her hair.

When the song came to a close, the boys got onto their feet, cheering as the girls, red in the face, hurried off the floor. Going to the punch table, Hermione ignored the looks several guys were giving her.

"Very nice, Granger," came Draco's voice. She turned around and raised an eyebrow at him. He leaned against the table, his black robes suiting him perfectly. She moved closer to him, making sure her lips were right next to his.

"Did I turn you on?" she whispered, eyes fluttering between his lips and his eyes. He nodded, unable to speak. She smiled coyly. "Well, too bad." She took a cup of punch and headed back to her seat, giggling with Ginny, who had watched the whole thing. Sitting down, she gulped down the punch. Ron was staring at her, wide eyed.

"I didn't know you could dance like that!!" he exclaimed and the other boys nodded. She blushed deeply.

"My mom taught me how to dance to anything when I was younger." A slower song had come on, Edwin Mcain with "I'll Be". Hermione smiled. "I love this song!!" Ron stood.

"Care to dance?" he asked. She nodded and they moved onto the floor, where other couples were already engaged. She rested her head on his shoulders, watching the other couples.

"Look, Ron I'm sorry about not being able to come out to the Burrow for Christmas. I know you were looking forward to it." Ron glanced at her.

"I was. You didn't come during the summer, so I was hoping you'd come this time." Hermione sighed.

"I was busy during the summer break," she told him. "I couldn't come."

"What were you doing this summer that was so important?" She turned to look at him.

"I know you and Harry know about me being at Malfoy's," she said. He looked alarmed. "Ginny let it slip while we were talking."

"Hermione, we were-"

"Yeah, I know, Ron..." They were silent for a moment, just listening to the music.

_Tell me that we belong together.  
Dress it up with the trappings of love.  
I'll be captivated,  
I'll hang from your lips,  
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

She bit her lip, eyes watching as Harry and Ginny moved around the dance floor. They seemed to be in a heavy conversation, and Ginny looked slightly put out about it.

"Hermione, could you tell me why you were at Malfoys?" Ron asked. She sighed.

"I...Something happened this summer, Ron. Something that you and Harry won't believe if I told you." She immediately cursed herself for saying that. Ron stared at her in disbelief.

"You mean, Ginny knows?!"

"Ron, she's my best friend!"

"So are Harry and I!"

"Yes, but..." What could she possibly say that would make this situation better? "Look, Ron. Ginny is different from you and Harry. She's a girl. You and Harry apparently aren't so there are some things that are easier for her to digest than from you two. Besides, I know how you f..." She didn't finish the sentence, cursing herself again for even starting it. Ron's eyes narrowed.

"What? You know how I what?"

"Nothing Ron. Can we just forget it?"

"Damn it, Hermione! We always have to forget it! Why can't we talk about it?!"

"Because it's perso..." She trailed off, noticing something funny going on with a few of the students. Ron seemed to have noticed to, because he did not push her on the question. Instead, they both watched as several students began exiting the floor abruptly. Hermione immediately looked to Draco. He was whispering angrilly at a fifth year about something. The fifth year looked like he was in pain, but Draco had hold of one of his arms, keeping him from pointing to where the pain was coming from. The fifth year was pleading about something but Draco shook his head, glaring at several students who were about to approach him. Hermione's breath caught in her throat.

The Dark Lord was summoning them. The student Death Eaters were supposed to go, but it was apparent that Draco had no intentions of getting up and leaving just yet. He was now glaring a couple of students back onto the floor to dance and the others he was waving away.

"What's up with them?" Ron asked. Hermione glanced at him.

"I don't know," she responded.

_I'll be your crying shoulder,  
I'll be love's suicide  
I'll be better when I'm older,  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life._

Hermione stopped dancing, pulling on Ron's arm. She found Harry and Ginny and pulled them back to their table. She then grabbbed Ginny and yanked her to the Great Hall doors.

"Did you see..." Ginny nodded. Suddenly, Blaise showed up, back to the wall and looking around the hall. Hermione stared at him.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Draco?"

"He's saying that they can't leave."

"Well, they can't!!" Ginny told them. "Someone would notice if a lot of _Slytherins_ suddenly disappeared." Hermione looked back at Blaise.

"But if they don't go..." Blaise fixed her with a stare.

"They can't. He'll just have to accept that."

"He doesn't accept anything," she murmured. She found Draco arguing with a bulky seventh year. "He's in pain. I can see it in his eyes..." Ginny gave Blaise a knowing look. Hermione sighed. "He'll be in more pain tonight, won't he?" Blaise merely nodded before moving away, leaving the two girls to their own thoughts.


	15. The Suffering: The Discovery

**Recap:**

_"What's going on? What's wrong with Draco?"_

_"He's saying that they can't leave."_

_"Well, they can't!!" Ginny told them. "Someone would notice if a lot of Slytherins suddenly disappeared." Hermione looked back at Blaise._

_"But if they don't go..." Blaise fixed her with a stare._

_"They can't. He'll just have to accept that."_

_"He doesn't accept anything," she murmured. She found Draco arguing with a bulky seventh year. "He's in pain. I can see it in his eyes..." Ginny gave Blaise a knowing look. Hermione sighed. "He'll be in more pain tonight, won't he?" Blaise merely nodded before moving away, leaving the two girls to their own thoughts. _

_

* * *

_

It was the day before students were scheduled to leave for the Christmas holidays and Hermione was having trouble with Harry and Ron. Ron had obviously told Harry that Hermione had told Ginny about her summer, and it hadn't gone off too well with either of them, ending in a fight in the Gryffindor Common Room, in which Hermione stormed off from, to angry with her friends to even stay and finish it. Draco had backed off her when she came in to the Head Commons, seeing that she was in such a foul mood. They went to bed in silence and Draco listened to her cry herself to sleep. In the moring, he took a shower and then woke her up. She didn't seem to want to talk, so he left to go find Blaise. His night hadn't been to good, anyway.

He himself had been summoned by the Dark Lord and punished for his insubordination. He had come back at about two in the morning to find his wife still asleep.

Hermione now sat in the Great Hall alone, eating breakfast and reading _Hogwarts, A History._ Blaise walked in and, seeing that she was alone, strolled over, sitting down across from her. She gave him a small smile.

"How was last night?" she asked. "I left early." Blaise nodded.

"It was nice," he told her. "Ended it off with a snogfest in one of the broomclosets." Hermione wrinkled her nose.

"Keep those things to yourself, Blaise," she muttered. "You're becoming like Draco." Blaise laughed.

"I heard about your fight," he commented and she sighed.

"I don't get why they don't understand..."

"You've got to tell them sooner or later."

"Yes, but...oh, I don't know. I guess I'm just afraid of their reaction."

"You'll be afraid of their reaction if the find out about it and it's not from your lips. Draco isn't going to keep this a secret at the rate him and Ron are going at each other. He'll let it out eventually and then what are you going to do?" Hermione sighed, and turned to see Harry, Ron and Ginny walking in. Harry and Ron were muttering something to Ginny, who kept snapping back at them. Blaise eyed them but stayed seated. They froze in front of the table, the boys glaring hatred at the Slytherin.

"What are you doing here, Zambini?" Ron growled. Blaise eyed him up and down and shrugged.

"Eating. Is that a crime?"

"It is if it's at our table," Harry snarled. Blaise took a piece of toast off of Hermione's plate, bit into it and stood, winking at her.

"Later, Granger," he said and leaving to sit at the Slytherin table. Hermione watched him, thinking about what he said. She then turned to look at Ron and Harry. She stood, hands on hips.

"Well?" she asked, foot tapping impatiently. Ron frowned.

"Shouldn't we be asking that?" Ginny elbowed him and touched Hermione's arm.

"Look, Hermione. I know you promised Malfoy you wouldn't say anything, but I really think that your best friends deserve to know what happened over the summer. It's not fair to them that I know and they don't." Hermione stared at her for a moment and then over her shoulder.

"Draco," she said. Harry and Ron whirled around to be faced with Draco Malfoy. He had his arms over his chest and seemed to be very pissed off.

"_Hermione_," he snarled. "What the hell is going on here?" People were starting to come in, some of them with their trunks. The train left in fifteen minutes. She glared at him.

"I think I'm going to talk to my friends about what happened over the summer, if that's alright with you," she snapped. His eyes flamed but before he could say anything, his name was called out.

"Draco!! Draco, come on!!" Turning around, he caught sight of his whole house flooding into the Entrance Hall. Collin was motioning him over. He looked back at Hermione.

"Hermione, would you come with me for _just_ a moment?" he grated out. Harry and Ron looked utterly confused. Why were these two mortal enemies refering to each other by their first names. Hermione stood her ground.

"No, I don't think so," she snapped. "They have a right to know!" His hand twitched.

"No, they don't."

"Draco-"

"Granger, don't make me hurt you." Ron had his wand out in a flash and ground it into Draco's neck.

"I'd like to see you try, Malfoy," he growled. Hermione pushed down his wand and poked Draco in the chest.

"They are my friends," she hissed. "And I am not going to lay down and let you tell me what to do." He wanted to hit her so badly right now. He wanted to use curses on her that would send even the best Auror quivering in his boots. And he knew she knew he wanted to. He had his hand around his wand.

"Granger," he whispered. "I am not in the mood to fight with you."

"Then don't." She turned on her heel and was about to speek when she was wrenched back by her hair. The whole Great Hall went quiet at her cry of pain. She could feel his breath on her ear as he spoke.

"Maybe I'm not making myself clear," he hissed. "You are not to talk about this until I tell you you can, understood?" She had had enough. Ignoring the pain in her head, she spun around and shoved him hard. He fell back but several Slytherins broke his fall, catching him and setting him back on his feet again.

"Well then, maybe I should make myself clear," she yelled at him. "If you ever touch me like that again, I will personally make sure that the Malfoy line does not continue beyond you. And trust me, you know I can make that happen. Don't you touch me like that_ ever_ again, do you understand me?" They glared at each other, a battle of wills taking place. She would not back down anymore. She was tired of being made out as a weakling to him, doing as he wanted, giving into him every time he touched her. It was driving her insane and she had had enough. She would make him kneel for her. She would drive him mad and drive him off if she wanted nothing to do with him. She would make him understand that this marriage was built on more than just sex and lies. She loved him and he knew that, but if this was going to work, they would have to make sacrifices and if he was going to keep acting like a jackass, she would make him pay with hell.

Straightening up, she fixed her hair and folded her arms over her chest.

"Now, why don't you go down to the train," Hermione told him. His chest was heaving and his fist were shaking in barely contained rage. How dare that BITCH!!!!!! Oh, she would pay for humiliating him in front of the student body, that he would make sure of. But what could he do now? Try and get near her, and he'd end up in bigger trouble with her than he already was in. Whirling around, he stormed out, the Slytherins following at a safe distance. Ginny was staring at Hermione, eyes wide.

"Um...Hermione? You ok?" Hermione glanced at her and took a deep breath.

"I'm fine, Ginny," she replied. "I'm just...I needed to get that off my chest." Ron was staring at her with a mixture of apprehension and awe.

"Wow, Hermione!" he exclaimed. "I never knew you could do that!!" She blushed slightly and took hold of her trunk.

"Come on, let's go to the train. We'll talk there."

* * *

Blaise entered the compartment that Draco had secluded himself to. He sat down across from the cross Slytherin.

"She was right, you know," he said after the train pulled off. Draco fixed him with a glare that said "Just keep on talking and see where it gets you". Blaise sighed and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. "I finished getting those arrangements you asked for," he tried.

"For Christmas?"

"Yeah. I got five spots, with five minutes for the last one. There's a tour coming after you, so you'll need to make whatever you two might do up there quick." The door swung open and Collin poked his head in. Draco glared at him.

"What the hell do you want?" he snapped. Collin pointed down the hall.

"If I were you, I'd want to listen in on this, Malfoy," he said. Blaise stood and followed Collin down the hall, Draco grumbling in the rear. They stopped, though, upon hearing what was going on.

"HAVE YOU GONE STARK RAVING MAD!!!!"

"I didn't have a choice, Ronald! Stop yelling!"

"Stop yelling? STOP YELLING?!?! YOU JUST TOLD ME YOU'RE MARRIED TO DRACO FRIGGING MALFOY AND YOU WANT ME TO STOP YELLING!!??!!!"

"Ron, if you would just let me explain-"

"Explain WHAT?! How can you even begin to explain that?!"

"I didn't have a choice Ron!! It was magically bound, there's nothing anyone could have done to stop it!! It's not like I wanted to marry him!!"

"Oh really, and how am I supposed to believe you??"

"Ron, settle down! Let Hermione fini-"

"Shut up, Ginny! You knew and apparently, you're perfectly ok with this!!"

"Yes I am, Ron! Unlike you, I understand that Hermione didn't want this anymore than the rest of us but she couldn't help what happened!! She was forced and you can't condemn her for it!!"

"How can it be ok that Hermione married the ferret and that he touched her?!?"

"Harry, can't you under-"

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but I have to agree with Ron. Malfoy's our enemy and you're just ok with being with him!!"

"If you weren't listening, I'm telling you I wasn't!!"

"What the hell do you mean, you _weren't?_"

"I mean...Oh, what's the use!! You two aren't listening to me at all!!!" There was the sound of a compartment door opening and Hermione ran right into Draco. She stared at him for a moment and then shoved him out of the way. "This is all your fault!!" she screamed at him before rushing down the hall and into an empty compartment, slamming the door closed. Draco turned back around to find himself again faced with the business end of several wands. The hall was suddenly bristling with many Gryffindors and friend of Gryffindors.

"You're dead, Ferret," Ron spat. Draco glared at him.

"What are you going to do, Weasley? Kill me for marrying your girlfriend? Trust me, I didn't want her anymore than she wanted me."

"You're speaking in past tense, Malfoy," Seamus growled.

"Well, I was meaning to speak that way," Draco snapped back. He shoved the wands away from him. "I haven't done anything wrong in this whole equation, so why don't you try examining yourself before speaking." With that, he spun on his heel and marched down to the compartment where Hermione was. Motioning for Blaise and Collin to go away, he walked in, closing the door behind him.

Hermione glanced at him and then returned to the window.

"You're not dead," she observed. "What a pity."

"A shame."

"Go away, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood for you."

"Well, I think you handled telling your friends about marrying me very well."

"Go away, Draco."

"What next? You going to tell them about when we make love?"

"Go away!!"

"Or maybe you'd like to tell them about where you go every time you're not in class." He caught her hand before it touched his face. She had tears in her eyes and he let go of her. She turned away from him, angrilly brushing away the tears.

"Just go away," she whispered. He watched her silently and moved over to sit next to her. Making sure that the curtains on the door window were shut, he pulled her into him, kissing her forehead.

"I told you not to," he whispered. She sighed and looked up at him. Again, they were pulled into each others eyes. He stroked her face gently and leaned in, kissing her softly. She pulled away after a moment and bit her lip.

"I really messed things up, didn't I?" Draco nodded, smirking evily.

"We can still fix it." She rolled her eyes, pushing him away from her.

"Not now, Draco." He nuzzled her neck and she pushed him away again. "Stop! Draco, listen to me!! STOP!!!" She managed to shove him onto the floor, where he lay, glaring up at her. She flipped her hair. "I told you I was serious back there. Now stop!" He got up off the floor, slightly peeved.

"This whole tough wife thing," he growled. "Not working."

"Well this whole horny husband thing, not working either."

"You have a way with words."

"Am I turning you on?"

"Yes."

"Well then, go find a corner and work it off."

"That's wrong on so many levels, do you know that?"

"Well then, sit there and wait it out."

"You could come and help me with that."

"You really are scaring me, you know that?"

"Am I? Is it a turn on?"

"No, so stop. Ugh, I can't wait to see your mother. Anything but listening to you on this train."

"Why don't you go find..." He trailed off and they sat in silence. She finally fell asleep, her head on his lap. He stroked her hair gently and groaned. "You really are falling for her, Malfoy," he grumbled to himself. "Next, you're going to see Severus dancing the Macerena and the Dark Lord running around in frilly knickers." He shuddered. "She's right, you do have wrong thoughts."

* * *

Ginny watched as the two boys paced in the small compartment, getting dizzy at their movements.

"Boys, sit down, please!!" she cried. They glanced at her and did as she said. She sighed. "Look, I know what you heard just now is shocking, but you need to hear Hermione out! She didn't want to tell you guys immediately because she was still trying to figure out what was going on in her own life. How would you feel if your father got you married to your worst enemy?!" Ron glared.

"But look at her! She's acting like she doesn't care anymore!!"

"Because she doesn't!! Damn it Ron, can't you see?! She's falling in love with Draco, even though they're supposed to hate each other!!" Ron gaped. "They've been through more than you know, so get past your hate for him and see her side of the story!!" Ron stood.

"I can't believe she would love that...that bastard!! He's the enemy!!!"

"He's her HUSBAND!!!" Harry grabbed her arm.

"Why are you so quick to defend her?!!"

"Because nobody else will!! If you weren't so blinded by hate for Slytherins, you'd see that they're not all bad people!!"

"_They??_" Ginny blinked and inwardly cursed herself. "What the hell do you mean they??" She rolled her eyes.

"So I've talked to a few of them!! So what?!"

"So WHAT??! GINNY!! What the hell...what the hell is wrong with you girls?!" Ginny puffed up.

"Don't you talk to me like that, Harry Potter!!" she yelled at him. "And there is nothing wrong with me!! Just because I'm friendly with a couple Slytherins doesn't make it wrong!!"

"You've been _friendly_ with them?" Ron gaped. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"Ron, just...ARGH!! You're so frustrating!! No wonder Hermoine stopped liking you!!! Draco's not the bastard, you are!!!"


	16. The Suffering: The Hate

**Oh dear, I think there was a bit of OOCness in that last chapter. I'm afraid, I really am. It scared me, that chapter. I didn't really want to write it that way, but...oh dear...**

**Recap:**

_"Because nobody else will!! If you weren't so blinded by hate for Slytherins, you'd see that they're not all bad people!!"_

_"They??" Ginny blinked and inwardly cursed herself. "What the hell do you mean they??" She rolled her eyes._

_"So I've talked to a few of them!! So what?!"_

_"So WHAT??! GINNY!! What the hell...what the hell is wrong with you girls?!" Ginny puffed up._

_"Don't you talk to me like that, Harry Potter!!" she yelled at him. "And there is nothing wrong with me!! Just because I'm friendly with a couple Slytherins doesn't make it wrong!!"_

_"You've been friendly with them?" Ron gaped. "Have you lost your mind?!"_

_"Ron, just...ARGH!! You're so frustrating!! No wonder Hermoine stopped liking you!!! Draco's not the bastard, you are!!!"_

_

* * *

_

Hermione was leaving the compartment for her trunk when she ran into Ron. They stood staring at each other and Hermione sighed.

"Can I get by, Ron?" she asked, glaring at everything else but him.

"Why? Don't you want to get back to your little sex toy over there?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"RONALD WEASLEY, YOU ASSHOLE!!" she screamed at him. "HOW DARE YOU-"

"What?!" he yelled at her. "What, it's not true what Malfoy's been spouting up during classes??"

"Why are you acting like this?" she demanded. "You're supposed to be my best friend and you're acting like an idiot!! Do you think I wanted this to happen to me??!! Do you think I went home that summer and said to myself, 'Hey, how about I marry Draco Malfoy? Wouldn't that make Ron and Harry so proud?' I'M NOT SEVEN RON, I'M SEVENTEEN!!"

"Well, you're acting like a five year old, Hermione!! How can you possibly like him!!"

"Because he doesn't act like an ASS around me, like you are! He's not a prat behind scenes!!"

"Oh, really? What is he then?"

"He's a NORMAL PERSON!!!"

"HE'S NOT NORMAL!!! HE'LL NEVER BE NORMAL!! HAVE YOU BEEN TOTALLY BRAINWASHED BY HIM?!!" She stomped her foot down, her patience with him gone completely.

"You want to know the truth, Ron?!? Well here it is! I LOVE HIM!!" He looked like he had been slapped. His mouth hung open as he just stared at her.

"Why?" he asked, his voice small. She instantly regretted saying it to him.

"Because...Because, for the first time in my life, I feel like someone understands me, Ron. He may act like a bastard with me, but at least he cares enough to stop for a moment and listen to me instead of blowing up on me."

"He hit you, Hermione! He hit you and you love him?!"

"YES!! Damn it Ron!! Why are you acting like this!!"

"Because I LOVE YOU HERMIONE!!!" he roared at her, face red with fury. "I love you and that bastard over there doesn't deserve you!!" She stared at him, her expression of anger completely taken over by shock. She could barely breathe as she stared at him. Some how, she had known he'd loved her, but to hear him say it outloud shocked her beyond belief.

And at that moment, she wished with all her heart that she had never gone home that summer. She could feel her heart aching for him and she bit her lip to keep back the tears. _Why is this happening to me?_ she thought bitterly. _Why does everything have to happen to me?_ She wanted to sink into the floor and never come up again. Everything in her mind told her to tell him what she was feeling. That she wanted to tell him that she loved him. That she felt the same way.

But you can't be in love with two people at the same time.

"Ron..." He shook his head.

"Just forget it, Hermione," he spat, turning around and heading down the hallway, leaving her alone, drained of energy and tears running down her face. She hated herself. On one hand, she had a burning passion for Draco Malfoy, her husband. On the other hand, she had her desire for Ron Weasley, her best friend. She had told Draco she loved him and she knew she hadn't lied to him about it. But then what was this she was feeling for Ron?

_Pity..._

She closed her eyes.

"Hermione?" She opened her eyes to see Ginny in front of her. "Hermione, are you alright?" Hermione shrugged, brushing away her tears.

"I just want to get to the Manor, Ginny. I need to get off this train."

* * *

Narcissa looked up from where she stood by the Manor gate, watching as the Knight Bus made a leap into view. It screeched to a halt and the door opened. Students, Slytherins all, flooded out and headed up to the gate. She smiled and motioned them forward. 

"It's wonderful to have a full house again," she told them as they headed up the drive to the manor. Draco came into view and her smile faltered. Something wasn't right. She quickly sought out Hermione and found her trailing in the rear, a redheaded girl, obviously a Weasley, with her. She could easily see that Hermione looked upset about something. She fell into step with her son.

"Draco," she greeted. He glanced at her.

"Mother," he grunted, eyes on the white grounds. She frowned.

"Is there something wrong between you and Hermione?" she asked. He let out a self-suffering sigh.

"She told her freaking friends about us and now she's upset about it because they got into a fight. Serves her right, she shouldn't have opened her bloody mouth."

"They were bound to find out."

"Well, they know now. There's no avoiding that. Should have seen the way they parted. I would have laughed if it had happened to anyone else."

"I don't doubt it." They walked in silence and upon entering the house, she began passing out keys to the guest rooms where people would be sleeping. Draco and Hermione would share a room this time, instead of Hermione having her own room.

Entering his room, Draco glanced at Hermione, who sat down on the bed and sighed, looking around the room.

"Brings back memories," she whispered, looking at him. He came over and kissed her forehead.

"We can make new memories," he whispered into her ear. She sighed.

"Not now," she told him, pushing him away. "I'm really confused right now, Draco. It's not the best time for this."

"What the hell are you confused about now, Hermione?" he snapped. He was getting really angry at her pushing him away all the time. She glared at him.

"You're the problem," she snapped back. "I'm just... oh, forget it." He grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet.

"No, you tell me why I'm a problem so we can fix this," he snarled.

"I told you not to hurt me, Draco," she hissed and he squeezed harder.

"Well, that boat has sailed. Why the hell am I a problem?"

"Draco, let me go."

"Mudblood, you had better talk soon and fast!"

"You know what? You're a problem because, for the first time, I'm starting to see why I hated you the moment I met you."

"Likewise. Is that all?"

"You are such a bastard!! You're an egotistical, manipulative, prejudiced BASTARD!!" His rage spilt out like a dam that broke. Before she knew it, she was screaming and writhing on the ground, his wand trained on her and he hadn't spoken a word. He didn't have to. He was sick of her whining about him, herself and her friends. He was sick of being yelled at for something she did. He didn't tell her bloody crush she was in love with her enemy, she did and if she was going to take out Weasel's bad reaction on her, than he would take out his bad reaction on her too.

He lifted his wand and watched her as she panted on the ground, tears running down her face. He grabbed her hair and pulled her to her feet.

"I tried to let it go, Hermione," he said softly. "But I'm not the one throwing my heart to everyone who asks for it. You married into this family and the only way you leave it is in a coffin, do you understand me? If you're in love with Weasley, then fine. But don't you DARE take your bloody anger out on me. I have no problem with you hating me, but if you even think that I'm going to listen to you WHINE about me and how much you HATE me, then I'll make you wish you _hadn't_ come home that summer, do you understand me?" She bit her lip, nodding painfully. He released her and she sank to the ground, crying. "Welcome to hell, Hermione. You just lucked out and married the devil." With that, he spun around and stormed out, her sobs making his heart throb with pain.

* * *

They didn't speak to each other for four days and Hermione was sleeping in Ginny's room. Draco was getting tired of this. It irked him that he had acted the way he did. Yes, he had overreacted, but he needed to take it out on someone. With the torture from the Dark Lord and the whining from her, he snapped. 

He found her in the family library, hiding behind a large book. He sat down across from her, watching her carefully. She looked over her book and, realizing who it was, reached for her wand. He waved his and hers zoomed into his hand. She glared daggers at him and stood to leave.

"Don't," he muttered. "We need to talk."

"No we don't."

"I hurt you-"

"I'm sure you think you did."

"Hermione-"

"Don't, Draco! Damn it, you think just because you can say my name, you can make me forgive you!!"

"What the hell do you want me to do?! Get on my hands and knees and beg your forgiveness like a slave?!"

"NO!!! I want you to beg my forgiveness like a husband!!! You ruined my life, Draco!! You married me, took my innocence and made me lie to my friends!!"

"I never made you lie to them!! You're the one that automatically asumed that I would kill you if you told them!! I never once stopped you from doing what you wanted!! I NEVER MANIPULATED YOU!! You're assumptions that I can seduce you whenever I want are pure assumptions! I never forced you onto that bed and you know that!! I will go to hell before you tell me that I ever touched you without reason!!"

"I HATE YOU!!! I HATE YOU AND I WANT YOU TO DIE SO I CAN GO BACK TO THE LIFE I HAD BEFORE YOU!!!!!!!" For the first time in his life, Draco never felt himself more hurt by someone's words as he did now. All he could do was stare at her. She wasn't capable of saying something like that. He knew she wasn't. Not even she would say something like that, even if she did hate him.

They're faces were so close, they could feel the others breath. Hermione was in tears while Draco just stared, too shocked for words. From somewhere within him, an impulse to suddenly make her stop crying emerged. All of a sudden, all that mattered was to make her stop crying. She was about to speak when he leaned in, kissing her tenderly, desperately. She tried to yank away but he grabbed her arms, holding her to him. She pushed her arms against his chest, trying to get away, but he wouldn't let her. Not until she stopped crying. His lips moved against her, begging them to kiss him back.

Finally, she stopped struggling and kissed him back. But the tears continued to fall. She hated him so much. She hated him for doing this to her. For hurting her and then making her feel like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. She hated him for it. She wasn't supposed to feel this way.

She was Hermione Jane Granger, bookworm and Top of her class!! She was the girl that was fiercely passionate about her work and would make sure that everything was done! She was the one that put her friends in front of herself, always thinking about her saftey afterwards. But this girl here, nay young woman...this girl was still a bookworm and still at the top of her class. But things were filling in the spaces. Her passions had changed from work and friends to Draco Malfoy. Her saftey suddenly mattered and it scared her. Was she the fiery girl she had been seven years ago, when she had entered through those Hogwarts gates for the first time?

He pulled away and they stared at each other. Chest heaving, she slapped him.

"I hate you," she murmured before turning on her heel and marching out of the door, leaving him alone once more.

* * *

He woke up the next morning and sighed. Christmas Day. Rolling out of bed, he pulled on drawstring pants and a shirt. He then headed out of his room and down to the living room, which was packed with frenzied Slytherins. The Christmas Tree, which was already touching the cieling, had an enormous pile of presents under it, which threatened to tip the tree over. 

Ginny walked in, yawning and smiling. Hermione was with her. They sat down in a conjured couch, a ways away from where Draco was sitting. The room went silent as Lucius and Narcissa walked in. They sat down and motioned to the tree.

"First years, go ahead," Narcissa said and smiled at the groans from the others. While presents were being opened, Blaise came over and handed Draco a key card.

"That's for you," he said. "You know, for your present." Draco leaned back in his chair.

"I don't think I'll be using it, Blaise," he muttered. Blaise glanced over to where Hermione and Ginny were whispering to each other.

"You should probably start the whole thing out by saying you're sorry."

"Malfoy's don't say sorry."

"I wouldn't tell her that. Look Draco. You've got a lot of pride in that ass of yours, but you'll have a lot more than pride stuck up there if you don't do the right thing. Things are getting out of control for her and the best present you can give her is give her one less stressful thing to deal with. Don't look at me like that, you know I'm right. You'll never get anything out of her if you don't. Besides, she wants you more than she lets on. She's just got a lot on her mind, what with her two best mates hating her and you being an ass and not being able to know which of you two asses she loves more, the Ferret, no offense, or the Weasel? Better straighten it out before Weasley straightens it out." Draco sighed and looked over at Hermione. She glanced at him but quickly went back to Ginny.

Finally, it came time fore seventh years to open presents. Draco got mounds of them, seeing as all of the Slytherins got him something. Pansy got him an assortment of books about dark magic while Crabbe and Goyle jointly pitched in to get him a new broom. Blaise had already given his present.

Draco picked up a small box and unwrapped it. Opening it, he laughed silently to himself. It was a chain with a silver snake wrapping itself comfortably around a gold lion. On the note attatched, it said Ginny. He looked over at the redhead, who merely nodded at him and went back to opening her presents.

The day went on with a Quidditch game, a Dueling Competition and a huge feast. It was at twelve o'clock when people started heading upstairs. Hermoine was going leaving the room when someone grabbed her hand. She turned back and scowled.

"What do you want?" she snapped. Draco sighed.

"Look, I..." He took a deep breath and did something that he knew would make his ancestors turn in their graves (aside from marrying a muggle born). "Hermione, I'm sorry." She gaped at him.

"What?" He rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry, ok. I had no right to use an Unforgivable on you and...I need you to forgive me." She continued to stare. "Damn it, Muggle, say something!!" She bit her lip.

"I don't know what to say," she whispered. He nodded and pulled out the key card.

"Let me show you my Christmas present to you."

"Draco-" She was cut off as her eyes widened. "Draco, where are we?" They were no longer standing in the living room but on a sand dune. Draco smirked.

"Welcome, Hermione, to the Great Pyrimids of Giza!"


	17. The Suffering: The Tour

**Recap:**

_"I'm sorry, ok. I had no right to use an Unforgivable on you and...I need you to forgive me." She continued to stare. "Damn it, Muggle, say something!!" She bit her lip._

_"I don't know what to say," she whispered. He nodded and pulled out the key card._

_"Let me show you my Christmas present to you."_

_"Draco-" She was cut off as her eyes widened. "Draco, where are we?" They were no longer standing in the living room but on a sand dune. Draco smirked._

_"Welcome, Hermione, to the Great Pyrimids of Giza!"_

_

* * *

_

She gasped, taking a step back into him. Her foot sunk into the sand but she some how managed not to sink into the dune. But she wasn't paying attention to the sands around her. She was paying attention to the towering Pyrimids in front of her.

"Draco, how did we get here?" she murmured. He held up the key card.

"Had some arrangements made so that we could visit some of the sights."

"Draco. These are the Great Pyrimids. These aren't just some of the sights. These are _the_ sights!!" He nodded and waved his wand over a smallish hump in the sand. A pole appeared, with a small box at the end. The only thing on the box was a slot, in which Draco stuck the card. Suddenly, they were wisked away from the Pyrimids and touched down somewhere less hot, and sandy.

"Wow..." Hermione looked around herself as several other 'tourist' merely glanced at the newly arrived couple. They stood on the steps of the Taj Mahal, staring up at the granduer of the massive building. The white stone shone in the sunlight as several wizarding vendors walked by, yelling out of different items. Draco watched as Hermione turned around and stared out at the reflecting pool. She turned to look at him.

"Where else can you take us?" she asked eagerly. "Do you know how much history are in these places?! They're hundred, maybe thousands of years old. Did you know that this building was constructed by the an emperor for his favorite wi-"

"Hermione, stop!" His head was starting to hurt. "I brought you here so that we could see it, not have a history lesson. Do you want me to take you home?"

"That would defeat the purpose of bringing me out here, then wouldn't it?" she shot back and he scowled. She was really getting snippy. He found the key slot and slid in the card. Immediately, the Taj Mahal melted away and they now stood on the battlements of the Great Wall of China. Hermione squealed, looking over.

"It's over 6000 kilometers long, did you know that?" she told him, running her hand over the old stone. He looked around at the landscape, smiling.

"No, I didn't, Hermione. What else?" She glared at him but continued.

"It was built in about 200 BC as a fortification for dynasties against enemies, like the Huns. It's probably the largest man-made structure around!!" Draco fixed her with a raised eyebrow.

"Hermione, how do you possibly know all this?" She shrugged.

"When you're stuck in the Malfoy Manor all summer, you tell me what you're going to do all day except read and get chased around by the insane spouse?" He smiled at her.

"Time to go," he said, looking around for the slot. She pointed over to where a wizarding couple was making out on the battlements. Curling his lip in distaste, he entered the key and the Wall drifted away, taken over by the wonderful view of Machu Picchu from where they now stood on the cliff above. She glanced at him.

"I don't recall this one," she told him, waiting expectantly.

"It's called Machu Picchu, Muggle," he told her with a self-suffering sigh. "It's pre-comlumbian Incan ruin. Nice view, isn't it?" She nodded.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm actally going to all these places!! Seven Wonders of the world!!" He smiled.

"Ok, Hermione, close your eyes." She stared at him.

"What?"

"Close your eyes or I'll do it for you."

"Why?" He growled and handed her a blindfold.

"Put it on, Hermione." She eyed him suspiciously but nevertheless took it, putting it on.

"I don't see the need," she muttered as she listened to him search for the key slot. "I've read up on every other Wonder of the world. Why are you blind folding me?" She felt a pull and stumbled slightly as they came to a halt. There was a slight chill around her as Draco steadied her. He was behind her as he pushed her forward a bit.

"Ok, take it off," he told her. She undid the knot and let it drop. She hands came to her mouth in absolute shock.

"Oh, Draco..."

They stood, completely alone, at the top of Mt. Everest. There was no other place this could possibly be. The breathtaking beauty and majesty of the surrounding mountains jutting up through the pillow like clouds rushed through her veins as she stood there, tears in her eyes. Draco smiled as she turned to him finally.

"Why?" she asked, barely able to speak. "I...Dr..." He reached up and caressed her cheek, stepping closer to her.

"Because I can," he whispered, their lips a hairsbreadth away from each other. "Because...because you don't deserve this life. You were forced to do something you didn't want and forced to give up the things you love. That's why I did this. Because you're worth it. You're worth this...oh shit."

"What?"

"I think I've fallen for you..." She gasped and he kissed her. For a moment, she couldn't respond. There she was, on the very top of Mt.Everest, kissing Draco Malfoy on Christmas Day. Tentatively, than with assurance, she kissed him back, moving into his arms with tears running down her face. His arms wrapped around her as he deepened the kiss.

_Nothing was supposed to change..._ He smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Nothing has changed. Nothing will change."

* * *

They returned to the Manor after five minutes, because a tour of fifty people showed up and started 'aww'-ing at the couple. Upon returning, Hermione took Draco's hand and started walking out of the living room.

"Where are we going?" he asked. She glanced at him and laughed.

"We're going to go have some sex," she told him and he stopped, pulling her to a halt. She turned back to him, hands on hips.

"What did you say?" She smiled, pulling him into her. She teased his lips with hers.

"You don't always have to be the one to make the invitation, Draco," she whispered into them. "I can still have control." He shivered slightly and followed her up to the room.

* * *

Ginny got up the next morning, putting on a robe and sneaking out of bed. She made her way into Blaise's room and sat on the edge of his bed, smiling down at his sleeping form. Leaning down, she kissed his nose.

"Wake up, love," she whispered into his ear. He rolled over onto his back and slowly opened his eyes. Staring up at her, he shuddered.

"Out of one nightmare, into another," he muttered and she hit his arm. He sat up, eyeing her carefully. "So what are you here for?" She shrugged, looking around the room.

"Do you come here often?" she asked him, looking at some of the pictures.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I hate going home." She didn't push the conversation and instead stood, motioning for him to do the same.

"Come on," she urged.

"Why?" She rolled her eyes.

"Because I want to, not hurry up!" He grumbled something and got out of bed. She giggled, eyeing his toned body with smiles. He rolled his eyes at her and grabbed a robe. They headed out and down to the kitchen. Draco was sitting there, Hermione looking around in the refrigerator. Ginny sat down at the island.

"When did you get back?" Blaise asked, sitting down next to Draco, who was hovering over a cup of coffee. He shrugged, running his hand through his hair sleepily. "Did you even get to bed?" Draco snorted.

"We got in the bed, if that's what you mean," he muttered. Hermione sat down next to Ginny.

"Don't mind him, he's just sore is all." Ginny frowned.

"Why's that?" Hermione shrugged.

"Tell them why you're sore, Draco," she said. He glared at her.

"Bloody woman nearly killed me," he snapped, looking back to his coffee. "Slamming me into the wall, what the hell were you thinking..." Blaise began laughing while Ginny merely shook her head.

"You two are a mystery to me," she told them.

"Don't feel bad, Ginny," Hermione assured her. "We're a mystery to ourselves."

"Amen," Draco growled, downing the rest of the coffee. He was standing to put the cup in the sink when he dropped it, clutching his arm as a low hiss of pain escaped his mouth. Hermione stood, eyes wide with concern. Blaise held him up as he stumbled slightly. "He's angry..." Draco shoved Blaise off and reached for his wand. Hermione rushed around the island, taking hold of his arm.

"Draco-"

"Not now, Hermione," he snarled, shrugging her off and storming over to the fireplace. They errupted around him and he soon found himself in a dark circular room. There was only two candles in the room.

"_Crucio,_" came a high-pitched voice from the shadows and Draco fell to his knees, gritting his teeth together to keep from crying out as overwhelming pain coursed through his body. "You have kept secrets from me, Draco. You have been keeping things from your Master and I am very upset." At the flick of the wand, the curse was lifted and left Draco on his hands and knees, panting for breath.

"I have kept nothing from you, my lord," he said.

"Then you will have no problem in telling me why I have just now found out that you were married during the summer?" A chill went through Draco's bones. _How did he know?_

"I thought Lucius told you, my lord," he said.

"You did, did you? _Crucio!_" Again, pain hit him like a sledgehammer, almost knocking him onto his face. "Don't LIE TO ME!!" The curse was lifted. "I do not tolerate liars." Suddenly, Draco felt a pressure inside his head. The Dark Lord was probing into his mind. Instant mental blocks went up. "So you hide your thoughts from me, Draco? Do you have something to hide about this marriage?"

"There is nothing to tell, my lord."

"Then there should be nothing to hide." Again, a pressure, stronger this time. The mental blocks held, not letting the Dark Lord in. "_CRUCIO!!!"_ Draco clutched his hair in pain, biting his lip until blood dripped. The pressure came back and Draco could not fight it. Images flashed before his eyes, of the Taj Mahal, of the Great Hall incident, and of him kissing Hermione, pushing her onto the bed-

"GET OUT!!" he roared. The pressure stopped and so did the curse. There was a silence and then a figure appeared in the dim light. Red eyes gleamed out at Draco.

"So this is what my heir has married. A mudblood. Sleeping with dirt, it's disgraceful. I remember saying, you were to marry a pureblood when you turned seventeen. You were to keep the line. I have made you my heir and this is how you repay me."

"I never asked for it," Draco spat.

"So you didn't...I do not tolerate insubordination..." The door opened and in stepped two Death Eaters. "Come here." They stepped forward and one pulled his wand out. The Dark Lord pulled out his wand. "I know how to fix this. An Unbreakable Vow." The other Death Eater grabbed Draco, forcing him to stay where he was. He struggled but the Dark Lord held his hand firmly. "You, Draco Malfoy, will murder your wife, the mudblood, within one week under pain of watching your mother and father killed slowly. Do you agree to these terms?" Draco shook his head.

"I would never make a deal with you," he snarled. The Dark Lord nodded and pulled out his wand.

"_Imperio_," he hissed and Draco stopped moving. Inside his head, he could hear a voice. _You will agree to the terms of the Unbreakable Vow..._ He tried to throw it off but it wasn't working. He felt his mouth opened and his mind blanked.

"I agree." A grin that would freeze blood appeared on the face of the creature. The Death Eater tapped the hands and a rope wrapped itself around it, disappearing in a flash. Draco was released and fell back, eyes closed as horror filled him.

"Now go back to your Manor, Draco. And remember what happened here."


	18. The Suffering: The Truth

**Recap:**

_"I would never make a deal with you," he snarled. The Dark Lord nodded and pulled out his wand._

_"Imperio," he hissed and Draco stopped moving. Inside his head, he could hear a voice. You will agree to the terms of the Unbreakable Vow... He tried to throw it off but it wasn't working. He felt his mouth opened and his mind blanked._

_"I agree." A grin that would freeze blood appeared on the face of the creature. The Death Eater tapped the hands and a rope wrapped itself around it, disappearing in a flash. Draco was released and fell back, eyes closed as horror filled him._

_"Now go back to your Manor, Draco. And remember what happened here."_

_

* * *

_

He watched her silently as she slept next to him. Her bare shoulders rose and fell slowly, the soft sound of her breathing the only sign that she was still alive. The room was relatively dark, except for the sliver of moonlight that filtered in through an opening in the drapes. He got out of bed, pulling on his boxers and putting on a robe. He moved about in the darkness and swore softly when he stubbed his toe against the foot of the bed. Making his way around, he found the doorknob to the balcony and slipped out. Breathing in deeply, he leaned on the stone rail, looking out over the acres of land that belonged to the Malfoy family. It was mostly wooded areas, with a lake smaller than the one at Hogwarts close to the house.

"Draco?" He turned around to see Hermione blinking out at him from the door, clutching her robe around her against the cold. "Come inside, it's freezing out there." He turned back to the grounds, trying to fix his thoughts.

It was now a full twenty four hours since the Vow had been made. In the morning, the students would return to the school.

His eyes closed, reliving what had happened. Somehow, he knew that the Dark Lord would do something like this once finding out that his heir was married to a mudblood. That's the price he had taken when entering into this union. He had known about the Dark Lords plans for him and he hadn't really objected, knowing his father's own plans. It was supposed to all intersect in some form down the road. He would have carried out the Dark Lord's plans had it not been for the simple fact that he had fallen for the bloody woman.

Her hand on his shoulder brought him out of his stupor and he turned to look at her. Her hair was slightly frizzled, but the cold air seemed to tame it slightly. Her cheeks were turning red and her breath came out in large clouds.

"Draco, are you alright?" she asked, rubbing his shoulder in concern. He took her arm and kissed it, letting his lips linger longer than he should have. He then dropped it and stared out over the frozen landscape.

"Go back inside before you freeze to death," he murmured, almost laughing and crying at the irony of his words.

"Come with me," she told him, taking his arm. "Please Draco, come inside. You'll catch something and then you'll really be put off in the morning." He laughed.

"Can't be more than I am now." She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Come inside and we'll talk about it. Really, it is freezing out here!" He sighed heavily and followed her into the room, closing the door behind him. She sat down on the edge of the bed as he leaned against the wall. "Now, what is it?" He stared at her, not really wanting to speak. If he did, then he'd regret it. He already did regret it. She frowned. "Draco, please speak..."

"What would you do if I murdered someone?" he interrupted. She gaped at him.

"What?"

"What would you do if I murdered someone?" She continued to stare, shocked at his question.

"I...I don't know. I'd be disappointed, that's for sure."

"Why?"

"_Why?_ Because you murdered someone! What are you getting at, Draco?"

"Do you believe me capable of killing someone?" She was about to open her mouth when she shut it, her lips pressing together in a thin line of concentration. The grandfather clock in the roon ticked away at the seconds, nay minutes that passed by.

"Yes," came her quiet answer after a while. He nodded. He had thought as much. "Draco, what are you trying to say?" He moved over and squatted down in front of her, playing with her fingers.

"Would you forgive me for murdering someone, no matter how close they were to you?" She was shaking now, and it had nothing to do with the cold. She took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

"Draco, what did Voldemort talk to you about?" she asked, her voice tense. "What happened over there?" He closed his eyes. He wanted to kill himself for being so stupid. Of course the Dark Lord would find out about the marriage. How could he have not? Lucius had been doing what he was supposed to by the document and even the Dark Lord couldn't do anything about that. But Lucius hadn't counted on his son falling in love. The match had been so far-fetched that he hadn't thought that, in a thousand years, those two individuals would fall so hard for each other.

It had been planned. It was going to be a quick arrangement and then everything would go back to the way it was. Draco would follow his orders from the Dark Lord and everything would go according to plan.

But she had been an unknown factor. She had not been thoroughly planned through and tappered to fit the equation. She had ruined it and at the same time made an equation beautiful all on her own.

"Draco..." His eyes opened and he realized she had tears in her eyes.

"What is it?" he asked. She shook her head, biting her lip. Tears poured harder down her face and he instantly became concerned. "Hermione?" A sob escaped her. "Hermione, tell me what's wrong." She looked up at him.

"Would you...You asked me if I would forgive you for killing someone. My answer would be yes, but..." She stared down at their hands. "Draco, how can I forgive you for killing someone if that person is me?" He stopped breathing. His heart stopped and all he could do was stare at her, complete and utter horror stamped on his features. She was sobbing now and wouldn't look at him. _How had she known?_ he thought frantically. _How the hell had she possibly found out?!_ "You're not hard to read, Draco," she whispered. "Especially when you're not paying attention." His eyes widened. She had probed his mind like the Dark Lord had and because he had been so wound up in something else, he had let her in completely.

"Hermi-" She pulled away immediately, sobbing harder.

"No," she moaned. "No, this isn't happening!!"

"Hermione, I didn't have a-"

"NO!!" she screamed, standing. "You promised me. You promised nothing would happen! I wasn't a problem! I wasn't a priority!! You lied!!" He stood, trying to take hold of her arm and calm her down but she shoved him off. "All of you lied to me!! You told me that He wasn't interested in me!! I wasn't in any danger!!!"

"Damn it, Hermione! You were in danger even before I became a Death Eater!!!" he roared at her, praying to God that nobody was awake. She stared at him, confusion in her sparkling eyes.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered. He bit his lip, lost in the hurt and obliviousness to what was happening. She didn't know, but he did. How could he not know? Lucius had only drilled it into him for the past six years of his life.

"Hermione..." He closed his eyes, resting his weight against the wall. He suddenly felt drained of all his strength. He wanted to just get out of the room, anything but be in there with her. She didn't know. "Hermione, this wasn't supposed to happen..." She reached up shakily and pushed his chin up.

"What wasn't supposed to happen?" she asked him and he opened his eyes, staring into hers. They held him where he was, making it hard for him to breathe. He wanted to take away that hurt in her eyes. He wanted to make it so that she never knew about this. He wanted to make it that none of this ever happened. Not the last six months. Not the marriage contract. Not this unbelievable sense of guilt and love that was ripping him apart. He wanted it to stop. Malfoy's didn't feel guilt or love. They didn't _feel_ anything.

He had always thought he never had a heart, as many girls often told him this. But if he didn't, why was his chest pounding and aching, the skin feeling stretched across it. He wasn't supposed to feel this way.

"Us," he finally answered. "We weren't supposed to happen. We weren't supposed to fall in love. We were to be married for the remainder of the year and then, during the summer, you were to have an untraceable accident...you weren't supposed to live either way..." She was silent for a moment and then her eyes rolled back in her head and she tipped to the side, unconscious. He grabbed her and put her in the bed. Closing his eyes, he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Is there a way for me to make it so that you don't hurt?" he whispered.

* * *

She stood silently on the platform, watching as the Slytherins miled about, not doing much. The train was scheduled to leave in ten minutes, so they had time to spare. 

She had avoided Draco for the remainder of the stay, not really knowing what to say around him. It was obvious to her that this was taking a great toll on him. He had become silent and only she, him and apparently Blaise knew about it. It hurt her to do this to him but it hurt even more to realize that this whole marriage, which had blossomed into something devestatingly beautiful, had been a temporary lapse in Draco Malfoy's judgment for keeping his heart in it's iron cage instead flying around like a damn bird.

She moved towards the train just as a group came through the barrier. Red heads, with several others, filtered in and Hermione froze. The group immediately caught sight of her hesitant form and moved towards her.

"Hermione!!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, rushing over. "We heard and we had to co-"

"Stop," Hermione said softly and the whole platform went silent. The Slytherins stopped their activity to watch her preformance. "Please. Just stop. I don't want to hear it. I...I have a lot on my mind and I don't need anyone here, especially you guys, who are supposed to be my friends, making it worse. It's over. It's over and I need you to stop lecturing me about my choices. I am seventeen, and if, by some miracle, I make it to eighteen, then we can talk." Her gaze shifted to Draco, who was staring at her with an unreadable expression. She bit her lip. "If I make it..." She turned on her heel and left.

Sitting down in a compartment, she stared out the window, not acknowledging Ron, Harry, and Ginny as they came in and took their seats. When the train pulled out, she brought Jesiphire out and began stroking her back, tears forming in her eyes as the small cat purred. Ginny touched her arm tentively.

"Hermione, are you ok?" She shook her head but the tears fell harder. Jesiphire hissed softly and leapt of her lap, but Hermione made no notice. Closing her eyes, she tried to stop, but it was useless. "Hermi-"

"I'm fine," she choked out, pushing Ginny's arm away. "Just leave me alone." She got up and opened the door to leave when she ran into Draco. She realized who he was and froze.

"Hermione," he whispered, reaching up to touch her face when the train jerked, throwing them both off balance. He grabbed her, stablizing her against his chest. The lights went out and Ron suddenly noticed, with a pang of fear, that the sky had become dark and foreboding. Several students poked their heads out of their compartments and let out yelps of pain as the train jerked once more and then a loud screeching sound issued. But this sound wasn't the brakes. The train was hurtling forward, throwing Hermione and Draco into the compartment. Draco pushed himself up, reaching for his wand while Ginny and Harry helped Hermione into a seat. Ron reached for the window ledge, realizing that he was sliding to the side on the seat.

"What the hell's going on?" he yelled over the screech of the wheels. The train lurched to the side and people were screaming as the Hogwarts Express began derailing, tipping to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione caught sight of a dark blur outside the window and suddenly, Harry put his hands over his scar, crying out in pain.

"It's Voldemort," he hissed and Draco and Hermione's eyes met, Hermione completely pale. A groan of the back cabins and the back part of the train leapt the rails. Windows shattered as people could be heard screaming. At the speed the train was going, metal was extremely pliable and bent easily. The back car was instantly crushed against the ground. Ron pressed his face against the window and gasped.

"We're headed for a tunnel!!" Hermione grabbed Ginny, pulling her into a hug as they sat on the seat. She had her other arm around Harry. Draco was standing, hands against both walls so that he could keep balance. The train was picking up speed and Draco was forced to sit down as another train car leapt the rails. The compartments were suddenly doused in darkness and a moment later an explosion rocked the train. A gust of fresh air blew threw the halls. The train continued to rock back and forth, the derailed cars decimated.

Draco stood, pulling out his wand and stumbling out into the hall. Hermione watched him as he disappeared and for the first time, she did not wish him any luck. He managed to get to another compartment and found Blaise clutching the window ledge, Crabbe, Collin, Goyle, Pansy and several others with him.

"Get the hell in here, Draco!!" Pansy screamed, holding on tightly to Crabbe as the train made a violent turn around the bend of the tunnel, the sound of metal on stone causing her to let go and hold her hands over her ears. "You're going to get yourself killed!!!" Ignoring her, he turned to Goyle.

"Did you know about this?!" he demanded. Goyle didn't answer, looking rather sick. Another violent turn sent Draco off his feet and out the window. His last thought was of hitting the stone wall of the tunnel.

Ginny screamed as the sound of another derailed car came to ear. The explosion against the wall was defeaning as the train shot out of the tunnel and approached a bridge. Wind and rain lashed against the remaining windows and into the halls and compartments. Dean ran into the room, followed by Parvati and Neville.

"Three cars!!" Parvati cried, clutching Hermione's arm. "Three of them gone and there are only two left before ours goes!!" Harry stumbled to his feet but was soon seated when the train's engine turned violently off the tracks. There was a horrible screaming of the wheels as the cars after it began coming off as well. Before anyone could say anything more, the train was hanging off the bridge, with half on one side and half on the other.

"We have to get out of here!!" Ron yelled. Dean pointed to several overturned trunks.

"Your brooms!!" They were taken out and Harry and Ron mounted.

"We take the girls first, and then come back for you two, ok?" Harry asked and Dean and Neville nodded. Ginny hopped on behind Harry but Hermione hesitated. Draco was still on the train somewhere. Ron noticed her lapse and grew angry.

"Hermione, now is not the time to get soft!!" he roared at her. He reached over, grabbed her arm and yanked her onto the broom. Before she could protest, the two brooms shot out of the window and were beaten down by the thrashing room. They were half-way to the bridge when a Death Eater came out of nowhere.

"_Stupefy!!"_ the Death Eater roared. Unfortunately, Ron wasn't quick enough and was hit full on. Hermione managed to keep him on as Harry shot towards the man.

"_Impedimenta!!" _he shouted and the man was blasted off his broom, which Harry then grabbed. "Hermione, take Ron up to the bridge and make sure he can't be seen!!" he yelled at her and she nodded. Moving the broom, she inched her way up, not at all confident about her flying skills. She finally made it and set Ron down among some underbrush. Before she left, she caught sight of several other students and one in particular. Pansy Parkinson. She was sitting with the other Slytherins but she wasn't looking the same. She was actually crying. Tears were running down the Slytherin girl's face as several students tried to comfort her.

Looking up, Pansy stared at Hermione and burst into broken sobs. Hermione went cold.

"No," she whispered. "No, no, no!" But inside her head, all she could here was _yes, yes yes..._


	19. The Suffering: The Broken

**Recap:**

_"Hermione, now is not the time to get soft!!" he roared at her. He reached over, grabbed her arm and yanked her onto the broom. Before she could protest, the two brooms shot out of the window and were beaten down by the thrashing room. They were half-way to the bridge when a Death Eater came out of nowhere._

_"_Stupefy!!" _the Death Eater roared. Unfortunately, Ron wasn't quick enough and was hit full on. Hermione managed to keep him on as Harry shot towards the man._

_"_Impedimenta!!" _he shouted and the man was blasted off his broom, which Harry then grabbed. "Hermione, take Ron up to the bridge and make sure he can't be seen!!" he yelled at her and she nodded. Moving the broom, she inched her way up, not at all confident about her flying skills. She finally made it and set Ron down among some underbrush. Before she left, she caught sight of several other students and one in particular. Pansy Parkinson. She was sitting with the other Slytherins but she wasn't looking the same. She was actually crying. Tears were running down the Slytherin girl's face as several students tried to comfort her._

_Looking up, Pansy stared at Hermione and burst into broken sobs. Hermione went cold._

_"No," she whispered. "No, no, no!" But inside her head, all she could here was yes, yes yes...

* * *

_

There was a silence in the Great Hall that was unlike no other. It was the silence of walking into a graveyard, only the tombstones were made of flesh and bones, but, like the tombstones, they were ghostly and weeping. There were only three tables in the hall, as everyone was sitting together. But not everyone was there.

Dumbledore stood up, eyes no longer sparkling but red from shedding their own tears.

"My students, as you know, a terrible deed was done by the Dark. Today, forty students lost their lives on their way back from a Christmas vacation on the Hogwarts Express, which now lays in ruins at the Hogsmeade station. You escaped with your lives, but those forty students were not lucky enough. Tonight, we honor those forty, who died needlessly because of the Dark, who felt it neccesary to shed innocent blood to put their reign over the magical world. Rise and raise your cups in honor of them." Everyone stood, raising their cups.

As they sat again, Ron and Harry turned to the girls. Ginny was silent, watching Hermione carefully. The Head Girl sat, not even knowing people were around her. All she could see was the table in front of her. And all she could hear was Blaise's voice in her head, repeating itself like a broken record player that would not stop.

_He went out the window while we were in the tunnel...He wouldn't listen to Pansy when she told him to sit down...He went out the window while we were in the tunnel..._

Her eyes closed. The past months flooded in on her and she stood sharply, attracting attention from the whole hall. Without a word, she left, walking the halls alone to the deserted Library. Going to the back, she slid down against a shelf and began to cry. Holding her arms around herself, she suddenly felt alone.

_But remember, you're not alone anymore,_ a voice whispered in her head. This caused her to sob harder. She wasn't alone.

"I didn't even tell him..." she moaned, covering her face with her hands. The charm had lifted and her stomach protruded softly from her robes as she leaned against the shelves, curling into a ball.

She had known for a while, but had been waiting until Christmas to tell him. But with everything that had happened, she had forgotten. And now he was gone.

Gone and leaving his seventeen year old wife and three month old unborn child to suffer.

* * *

Narcissa walked briskly down the steps, ignoring the gazes she was getting. Reaching the bottom, she turned down the dark hall, heading for the only door at the end, guarded by two Death Eaters. They hailed her, brandishing their wands. 

"What the hell do you want?" one of them snarled and she snorted.

"Don't bullshit me," she snapped. "Let me in."

"Can't do that. Orders from Lucius."

"Well, I am his mother, so let me in!!" When they refused once more, she pulled her wand out on them. At this gesture, one of them pulled out a key, unlocking it and then waving his wand over the door. Pushing past them, she opened the door and stepped in.

The room was dark and damp, with a musty smell coming from the mold and dank corners. Lighting her wand, she gasped in horror. There, hanging from chains around his wrists, was her son. Rushing over to him, she touched his face. He was practically naked, with his robes hanging from him in tatters. His flesh had either been ripped or burned off of him and several bones were visible, some jutting out of his skin. His scalp was torn, with tufts of hair missing. Blood dripped from a gash in his neck as a metal shard stuck out of his stomach and legs. His chest was barely moving and a small whisp of cold breath came from his lips.

He was alive. But barely.

"Draco, my son," she whispered. There was a moan, but that was it. One eye was swollen shut and she looked away in horror to find that the other had been grotesquely removed. "Draco, please." There was another moan and his head rose slightly from his chest and then fell back. His spine was broken.

"Mmm..muth.." Much of his upper lip had been completely ripped off, exposing darkened gums and jaw. She bit her lip.

"Oh Draco," she murmured. "How could this have happened? How could you have been so stupid?" A gurgling sound errupted from his throat and blood spewed from his mouth. She stepped back, looking away.

"Hu..hum...Humio..."

"Hermione?" At his attempt at a nod, she nodded.

"She's at Hogwarts. She's shaken, but safe. She owled me a day ago to tell me about the attack. She didn't mention you, but Blaise owled me about your 'death'. They think you're dead, Draco." His eye moved slightly and opened into a slit. She couldn't tell if he could see her, but it didn't matter if he could.

"Da...Da Lo..."

"The Dark Lord is to arrive later this evening to examine you, Draco. You're not to be healed, only kept alive, my son." A moan escaped him and more blood flowed forth. She swallowed down her tears, touching his mutilated face. "This cannot be my son...not even after being healed will you look the same..." The door opened and Lucius stepped in. Closing the door behind him, he stepped down beside his wife.

"The Dark Lord is on his way, Draco," he said softly. He could see his son shivering, though not much, because his nervous system was all but obsolete. "He will decide your fate. You have been here for three days, Draco. You're days for the Vow are coming swiftly to an end." With that, he pulled his wife out of the room, leaving the young man to his mind, as his body was useless.

_She thinks you're dead..._ he thought. _Probably better that way...what was I thinking?_

"You weren't." The door closed behind the Dark Lord and the room was again pitch black except for the sparkling red eyes boring holes into the helpless man. "So this is my heir now? He is not much more than blood, broken bones and an aching heart for filthy blood." Draco no longer tried to hide his fear. He had no wand, no way to defend himself and he was hanging from the wall by chains. He was hopeless. "Tell me something," The Dark Lord continued. "Why did you go through the window? Did you think that doing that would make you incapable of fufilling the Vow?" The thought had never actually occured to Draco that that was what might have happened had he died. He had put himself in danger willingly, knowing that his chances of living on a self-destructing train were not good, yet not once had the thought of killing himself to rid Hermione of her fate occured to him. Maybe it had, but he hadn't realized it.

He spluttered out more blood and the red eyes grew disgusted.

"You are a disgrace," the Dark Lord hissed. "To your family and to me. I am disgusted to be your master. But that will have to be overlooked. Though a traitor you are, you are still my heir. But you will still be punished."

"Hu...how?" Draco managed out before coughing up more blood. Even through the blackness, Draco could tell the creature had grinned.

"I have released you of your Vow, my heir. You no longer have to kill that filth you call a wife." A chill filled Draco. It moved like a frost through his bleeding veins and even into his weakening mind.

"Whu...whu aw ya...gonn..."

"What am I going to do?" He laughed. "I will have you hang there, like you are now, and watch her die in front of you. But not a swift Killing curse. That is too good for the likes of her. She will die, but slowly, and painfully. Yes, my heir. I will have you realize what happens to traitors." Wrath filled Draco. Wrath and fear.

_What have I done...

* * *

_

It was easy to see that something was wrong with her. She had become not only distant as in the mind, but distant physically as well. She had barely gone to a class for the past four days since the train incident and was rarely seen by even her closest friends. She secluded herself to the Library or the Room of Requirement, where she sat on the couch and stared into the dead fire. The room that was usually conjured up was barren except for a book shelves filled with romance books. She never read them but she knew they were there. People gave up on trying to talk to her, knowing that there was no point. Nobody, of course, knew about her pregnancy except Blaise and Ginny, who swore themselves to secrecy.

It was now the fifth day after the incident and Hermione sat in the Room of Requirement. A book of quotes and sayings sat on the floor, opened but unread at the moment. She stared at it for a moment and then picked it up, staring at the quote.

_You don't marry someone you can live with,  
you marry the person who you cannot live without. _

- Author Unknown -

She flipped the page and read the next one:

_Love is patient, love is kind.  
It does not envy, it does not boast,  
it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,  
it is not easily angered,  
it keeps no record of wrongs.  
Love does not delight in evil  
but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts,  
always hopes, always perseveres.  
Love never fails. _

- The Bible : 1 Corinthians 13:4 -

Letting tears run down her face, she closed her eyes. _Love isn't always kind...sometimes it disappoints...it saddens..._ A book dropped into her lap and she opened it, staring.

_The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.  
-- Harriet Beecher Stowe._

_It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.  
-- Unknown._

Tears poured down her face and she dropped the book. It was tearing her apart. She was alone, are almost so, and it was tearing her apart. She cursed herself for being so stupid. She had let herself wear her heart on her sleeve and now the man that had taken it was dead.

Her hand moved to her small belly. She had found out, through magical ways, that her baby was a girl. A girl that would not have a father. A mother that was too young for this.

She stood to leave when the door opened. She frowned. The only people who knew where she was would not come up here. Blaise stumbled in, a wand pressed against his neck. Ginny was with him, skin pale as she also had a wand to her neck. Hermione backed up, gasping when three darkly cloaked men stepped in. Blaise gave her a look that said "I wouldn't have, but Ginny..." Hermione had cast a swift charm over her stomach, making it flat. One of the men stepped forward and she pulled her wand on him.

"What do you want?" she spat. He didn't answer and instead kicked her legs out from under her. Ginny screamed as the man scrambled on top of her, tying her hands and legs with magical rope from his wand. He gagged her and stood her up and then waved his wand at the fire in the room. It blazed up for a moment and then disappeared. Blaise and Ginny were shoved forward and disappeared quickly, followed by their guards. Hermione was pushed in and was sucked up. She appeared in a pitch dark room, the ropes gone. Getting to her feet, she felt around and found a lantern in the musty room. Turning the switch, it came on and she sighed. Turning around, she screamed, backing into the wall.

The body on the wall moved slightly and the one eye opened into a slit, staring through the gloom at the new arrival. Hermione wanted to throw up but stopped herself upon realizing who it was.

"Hu...humio..." Blood poured out of his mouth and he coughed. Hermione moved forward, disbelief on her features.

"Draco?" she whispered. There was a moan from the disfigured man and Hermione gasped. "Oh my God, Draco!!" She reached forward, touching his unrecognizable face. "Oh, Draco..."

"Ge...ge ou...ge ou..." She leaned in closer.

"What are you saying, Draco?"

"He's saying, get out. Unfortunately for you, that's not an option." Hermione spun around as a heart-broken moan escaped Draco's destroyed lips. A man stepped into the lamp light. He was middle-aged with black robes and dark brown hair. He had a scar down the side of his face and an evil glint in his eyes as he pulled out his wand. Hermione backed up into Draco's hanging body, shivering slightly at touching the burnt skin.

"What do you want with me?" she whispered and the man smiled.

"You are the wife of Draco Lucius Malfoy, Death Eater, traitor, and heir of the Dark Lord. What do you think you're doing here? You are to be executed in front of Malfoy as a lesson to him about disloyalty." Her breath caught in her throat as another moan came from behind her.

"No," Draco managed out. "No..." The man smirk increased.

"Oh, by the way, Malfoy. She's pregnant."


	20. The Suffering: The Torture

**Recap:**

_"Ge...ge ou...ge ou..." She leaned in closer._

_"What are you saying, Draco?"_

_"He's saying, get out. Unfortunately for you, that's not an option." Hermione spun around as a heart-broken moan escaped Draco's destroyed lips. A man stepped into the lamp light. He was middle-aged with black robes and dark brown hair. He had a scar down the side of his face and an evil glint in his eyes as he pulled out his wand. Hermione backed up into Draco's hanging body, shivering slightly at touching the burnt skin._

_"What do you want with me?" she whispered and the man smiled._

_"You are the wife of Draco Lucius Malfoy, Death Eater, traitor, and heir of the Dark Lord. What do you think you're doing here? You are to be executed in front of Malfoy as a lesson to him about disloyalty." Her breath caught in her throat as another moan came from behind her._

_"No," Draco managed out. "No..." The man smirk increased._

_"Oh, by the way, Malfoy. She's pregnant."_

_

* * *

_

His mind was wiped blank. He could not think straight. _"She's pregnant..._" No...

The man, who Draco knew to be Forrin Weiler, flicked his wand and Hermione flew into the far wall with a sickening crack of her arm. Weiler smirked.

"Now, mudblood," he slurred. "Let us show Malfoy your baby bump." Waving his wand, Hermione found herself with a fulled out tummy. Draco, who could only see from the one eye, let out a groan.

"No, no, no..." Weiler grabbed Hermione, shoved her to the floor in front of Draco and lifted his wand.

"_Crucio."_

_

* * *

_

Blaise moaned and moved Ginny off of him. Getting to his feet, he pulled the redhead to her feet.

"You alright?" he asked softly, glancing around the cell they had been placed in. She nodded, looking around.

"Where's Hermione?" Blaise stared at her and she stared back, a sense of dread filling her. "Blaise, where is she?"

"Probably with Draco," he answered. Ginny stared at him.

"Draco's dead."

"He's almost dead, but not quite. The Death Eaters found him and they're keeping him alive."

"What does that have to do with Hermione?" Blaise just stared at her and Ginny's hands came to her mouth in horror. "NO!!"

"Ginny-"

"NO!! NO, NOT HERMIONE!!" He grabbed her, pulling into him and holding her close as she sobbed. "Oh, Merlin, no!!" The door to the cell opened and Blaise looked up to see his parents. His grip on Ginny immediately tightened and she looked up. "Blaise..." Blaise's father, a tall, evil looking man, stepped down into the cell, wand held in his hand. Blaise pushed Ginny behind him, wishing he had his wand.

"Blaise," his father said.

"Luther," Blaise spat, his grip on Ginny causing her to cry out softly in pain. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

"That's not the way you speak to your parents," came his mother's harsh voice from the door. Blaise laughed.

"Well, then it's a good thing you're not my parents then, huh?" His father's hand was around Blaise's neck in a second. Ginny screamed, backing away as Blaise was slammed into the wall. She was about to leap in and help when his mother swooped down, wand at the ready.

"You're lucky I don't carve your tongue out for that, boy," Luther hissed as his son glared at him, struggling to breathe. He was released and Luther turned to Ginny. "So this is the girl we've heard so little about." Ginny backed into the wall, glancing to Blaise for help. But Blaise had his own problems. His father's grip had done something and Blaise was now gasping for breath on the ground.

"Blaise," she whispered, eyes wide. Luther pointed his wand at her and opened his mouth to speak when Blaise stumbled forward. A curse went off and Ginny ducked. Blaise's mother grabbed her hair, yanking her out of the room. "Blaise!" He wrestled the wand out of his father's wand, still gasping for breath. Punching him heavily, he stumbled up and out of the cell. His mother threw Ginny to the floor.

"You've chosen wrongly, my son," she spat before whirling around and disappearing into the darkness of the dungeons. Ginny scrambled up and grabbed Blaise before he fell to the ground. Taking the wand, she searched her mind for a healing spell.

"_Esphontatilus,_" she whispered. Blaise coughed and nodded.

"Thank you," he said, getting to his feet and kissing her softly. "Come on, we need to find Draco and Hermione."

* * *

Draco wanted to die. Spasms of pain jarred him with every blow that came to her and it tore his soul apart.

Her screams died off, leaving her panting on the floor. Tears and blood mixed on her face as she looked up at her torturer in pain and pleading.

"Please," she begged, backing into the wall with her good arm. Her other was broken and her legs were useless. He tried to pull against the chainse, but with his spine broken, there was nothing he could do but watch as she was destroyed in front of him. Weiler kicked her furiously and a moan that was meant to be a roar of fury gurgled out of his mouth.

"St...sto...ple...ple..." Her scream cut him off as his foot connected with her stomach. Draco turned away, unable to look. Someone grabbed his face and forced him to look at Hermione, who lay on the floor below him, barely breathing. She was on her back with blood trickling down the side of her face as she stared up at him, her eyes slightly hazy. Her body was broken. Weiler laughed as they locked eyes like always, neither refusing to look away from the others pain and suffering. "Ple...ple sto..." He couldn't take it. He wanted it to stop.

"Oh, I'll stop it. I'll end it now, Malfoy." He tried to shake his head. He tried to move his hands. He tried to do something. But all he could do was hang there and watch helplessly as she lay there below him, about to die.

She stared up at him, seeing the uncontrollable pain in his eyes as his body shuddered, struggling to move yet unable to. She could see now that this is what she meant to him. She could see that he would gladly trade places with her just so that she could live. He would die for her now, because she was worth it.

"Draco," she whispered. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Weiler point his wand at her. "Draco..."

"No," he groaned. "No!"

"_Avada Kadavra!!_"


	21. The Beginning

**Recap:**

_"Oh, I'll stop it. I'll end it now, Malfoy." He tried to shake his head. He tried to move his hands. He tried to do something. But all he could do was hang there and watch helplessly as she lay there below him, about to die._

_She stared up at him, seeing the uncontrollable pain in his eyes as his body shuddered, struggling to move yet unable to. She could see now that this is what she meant to him. She could see that he would gladly trade places with her just so that she could live. He would die for her now, because she was worth it._

_"Draco," she whispered. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Weiler point his wand at her. "Draco..."_

_"No," he groaned. "No!"_

_"Avada Kadavra!!"_

_

* * *

_

"He's very lucky to even be alive, Narcissa. Mr. Zambini got him here on time."

"What will happen to him?"

"He will be carefully monitored for the next few days. Blood replenishing potions will be given, as well as bandage changes and potions. We did all we could about his appearance."

"He looks...he'll hate himself..."

"Had he been brought to me earlier, I could have done something to salvage his looks, but his body has been decomposing slowly over the past few days, being denied the right to die off right away. As I said, he's lucky to be alive and he should be grateful. But he will not look the same. His hair has grown back, though it isn't exactly platinum. His spine was repaired, but his bones will be weak. He might have a limp. His mouth will frown permanently and his face will hold scars."

"What about his eye?"

"I'm afraid there is nothing that can be done about it. An eye patch will have to be worn and potions taken to keep it from being infected. I'm very sorry about this whole affair, Mrs. Malfoy. From what I heard when he was brought in, he has been through a lot."

* * *

Ginny rounded the corner, rubbing her shoulder ruefully. It was still paining her from her encounter with Blaise's mother. Sighing, she stopped, catching sight of Harry and Ron. They walked over, frowning. 

"Where've you been?" Harry asked. Ginny bit her lip, but before she could answer, someone else spoke.

"Potter, Weasley," Blaise barked from his spot in the shadows, staring out at them. Ginny began heading over when Ron grabbed her arm. She shook him off and continued over. Blaise gave her the tiniest smile before scowling at the two Gryffindor boys. "Potter, what do you know about the Dark Lord?" Harry's eyebrows rose in shock and apprehension. He eyed Blaise, unsure.

"What's it to you what I know?" he shot back and Blaise let out a short laugh, eyes serious.

"It's everything to you. I know about you and him. What Slytherin doesn't?" Harry took a step closer to him.

"What are you on about, Zambini?"

"I'm on about you, the Dark Lord and a little prophecy made about seventeen or so years ago. That ring any bells?" Even Ginny looked shocked.

"How the hell do you know about that?" Ron hissed, wand out. Blaise eyed him.

"My mother happens to be an Unspeakable, so I got access to the Revolving Room and the Chamber of Prophecies. Wasn't that hard to stumble upon one with Potter's name on it. Of course, I never touched it, but my mother knew some tricks in getting it to talk anyway." Harry's eyes narrowed, wand up.

"Why are you telling me this?" he demanded. Blaise shoved down the wand, stepping closer to Harry.

"Because like it or not, this war is starting and, like it or not, you need not only mine, but Draco Malfoy's help. We both have something of value on the line." Harry snorted.

"Oh really. What could you possibly have of value? Money? Manors? That stuff will be destroyed with the war." Blaise leaned forward, glancing at Ginny.

"Not all value is measured in silver and gold, Potter," he muttered so only Harry could hear. With that, he moved back and leaned against the wall, watching Harry's face carefully. Several looks crossed the raven-haired young man with the thunderbolt shaped scar on his forehead. First, confusion, then anger, and finally acceptance. He nodded solemnly, holding out his hand.

"Fine. You help us." Ron looked livid.

"You're just going to let him in!! Just like that?!!" Blaise took Harry's hand and shook it.

"Just like that," Harry told him, glancing at Ginny, who gave him a small smile, which he returned. Pulling Blaise in by the collar, he growled, "I won't tell Ron. That's between you and him. But you hurt her, and I'll break your neck myself, understood?" Blaise smirked, pushing Harry away.

"Walk this way," he told them. "There are a few things you need to know." Ron glanced around.

"First off, where's Hermione?"

* * *

The first thing he noticed was the deafening silence around him. Then, when he tried opening his eyes, he realized, with fear, that his world had become like coal. He tried to talk, but only a horrible gurgling sound uttered forth and he struggled, his arms and legs tied to the bed. Sounds hurried around him, trying to coax him into silence, trying to get him to be silent. But he would not. They were keeping him down and had him blinded. Again, he tried to speak, but could not, only managing to gurgle and moan like a trapped animal, whose foot was caught in steel teeth. He struggled even more, fear more than anything driving him to break free. The sounds around him made no sense, only that they were trying to be soothing and comforting. But he would not be soothed. He would not be comforted. Not until he was free. 

Eventually, exhausted from struggling, he relaxed and quieted down. The sounds dropped to whispers and he strained his ears to hear what was being said.

"...need to get a monitor..."

"...a bit scared..."

"...take it off..."

Suddenly, he found himself encased in silence. But only for a moment, as the whispers came back and he could suddenly see. Or, at least he thought he could. It was only a few moments later that he realized that he was not seeing with both eyes, but only his right. He was about to struggle when he felt someone take hold of his arms, keeping him still. He fixed the person with his good eye, seeing that it was Madam Pomfrey, with the help of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Blaise Zambini. He immediately stopped, staring at them in horror. He tried to talk again, but the horrible gurgle errupted and fear took him.

_What was happening with his voice?_ he thought frantically. He looked around his good eye and saw that his hands and legs had been strapped to the bed. Something moved and he jumped. He could not see to the left of himself and nearly leapt out of his skin at the sight of his mother appearing out of no where. He attempted to talk once more but, after a startingly futile effort, gave up, drained, physically and mentally.

"What happened to him?" Potter asked, staring at him with a mixture of hatred and pure grotesque fasination. The same went for Ronald Weasley and Madam Pomfrey. Ginny, Blaise and his mother merely wore the latter. Madam Pomfrey let go of Draco's arm and pulled out his arm, pointing at his throat.

"_Soaratis,_" she whispered. A warm feeling attacked Draco's throat and then disappeared. Draco opened his mouth once more, but a moan came out, followed by an awful gurgling. Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"He can't talk, the bastard," he growled.

"Mr. Weasley!" Madam Pomfrey cried, turning to him. "Language, please!!" She shook her head and left for her office. Panic now filled Draco.

_This isn't happening!! This isn't happening!!_

Narcissa stared at her son in solemness, touching his arms gently.

"Draco, can you hear me?" Draco nodded vigorously and again pulled at his arms but his mother shook her head. "No, Draco. They can't do that. Not until the Ministry gets here." His heart stopped.

_Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt._

Blaise seemed to read his friend's grimacing face. "You're in deep, Draco. Pomfrey caught sight of your Mark and you've been screwed over by someone in the Ministry. The Wizengemot was especially happy to hear that you were, at the moment, immobile. You're not wriggling out of this one." He closed his eye and a groan escaped him. He would go to Azkaban, there was no argument there. His family had too many enemies in the Ministry, thanks of years of discrimination towards anyone less than a pureblood. He was about to just keep his eye shut when a thought came to him. His eye flew open and it roved over them, paniced, frightened.

_Oh Merlin, where is Hermione?!?!!_

They all stared at him as he began struggling and Ginny's eyes widened when she saw tears rolling down his right cheek.

"Oh, Draco..." Narcissa sat down next to him, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly. His eye pleaded with her, begging her to tell him something. Anything. He would even accept a lie. Anything but the silence.

Because silence is the acceptance of things unsaid.

"Draco..." Ginny bit her lip, tears in her eyes also. Harry and Ron had moved away a bit, their faces darkening as they looked away. Blaise watched as Draco began shaking his head, the tears coming down harder. A gurgling sound errupted from him, beautiful and terrible in pain. "She was taken to St. Mungo's, Draco...they...Draco, you need to understand-" But Draco would not understand. He would not be coaxed and manipulated to believe something that wasn't real and what they wanted him to understand. Pain ran through him and images flashed of those moments of torture. Her eyes, pain-filled and beautiful, echoed back ten-fold, hitting him like a semi truck.

_This isn't supposed to happen...you're a Malfoy!!!_

"Draco," came his mother's voice, pleading for him to listen but he tuned them out. Their voices faded into the abyss and he let his mind wander to the last image he had of her before everything had gone blank.

_Draco..._

Narcissa touched her son's arm but he did not move except for the up/down of his chest. She turned to the youths behind her, shaking her head.

"He won't listen," she told them. "He...I do believe he loved her." Something flashed across Ron's eyes, but it was soon gone, replaced and he nudged Harry.

"Let's get out of here," he murmured. Harry nodded and motioned to Ginny and Blaise to do the same. They left the infirmary and stood outside. Ginny broke down, but before any of the boys could get to her, she rushed down the corridor and out of sight. Blaise stared after her and then back into the infirmary.

"We've got a war going on," he whispered. "We can't afford to get sidetracked." Ron gaped at him.

"If you haven't noticed, we're kind of missing someone!!" he yelled at him, tears also in his eyes. "We can't do this without Hermione!!"

"Well she's not here, is she?" Blaise hissed, taking a step towards him. "Look, Weasley. We're not going to get along, I can get that. But I need you to get over the fact that, in war, you're going to lose people. Draco will get over this and we'll talk to him. But you need to suck it up and move on. Your family is one of the biggest targets, you need to start thinking about them!" Ron glared and stormed down the hall after his sister, leaving the Boy-Who-Lived and the Slytherin alone together. Harry stared at Blaise for moment.

"What do you plan to do, Zambini?" he asked. "This isn't exactly your war." Blaise nodded.

"I know that. But this is Red's war. And I'm not going to abandon her just because of it. Besides, I don't want that son of a bitch taking over the magical world. He's too depressing." Harry laughed and began down the hallway, pausing to look back.

"Guess I'm on my own, huh?" Blaise nodded.

"Yeah, you kind of are. But don't worry, you've got a great support group. Remember, though. This is war. And in war, you're going to lose people. Whether you like it or not."

* * *

It was silent in the room. Moonlight streamed through the window as soft drip of blood hit the floor and shattered the silence. A fear held the room cold, no matter how nice and homey they tried to make the place. Darkness gripped every corner as tears rolled onto the sheets. 

_Draco..._

It played over through the sterilized air, a rythme that floated around and plagued the very mind it came from. Images played, memories and future.

Nobody knew who she was. She was alone, and all she had was the voice in her head. That voice and the small bump on her stomach. They had left her there but someone had taken her. She now lay, alone, in an alleyway. They had thrown her out for dead.

Again, the silence was disturbed the soft drip of her blood on the floor.

_Draco..._ These were her thoughts as she slipped into unconsciousness. The tiny lifeform inside her gave a tiny kick, begging her to live.

After all, there was a war brewing and her death would leave her friends in mourning and her loved one in pain.

A soft smile crossed the unconscious girl's face. She was loved, somewhere, by someone. And that would wake her in the morning. That would help her make her way back to reality. And into his arms. And into the arms of war.

* * *

**Well, that's the end. I'm going to be for real, this was a BRILLIANT journey with you all, but I'm so sad it has to end like this...**

**snickers at gawking readers I'm totally serious. This is the end. snickers some more at cursing readers and laughs out loud. **

**Ok, so it's not the end. Sorry for those who think this is a bad ending. It is the end of this story, but the journey isn't over. There WILL BE A SEQUEL, PEOPLE!!! Sometime in the near future (it won't be more than a month) I'll write the next story for this one, but I need some ideas for a chapter title. This is all I've got:**

**_The Two Roads of Death_**

**_The Two Roads of War_**

**_For You, I Will_**

**Synopsis:_ As the war brews, Hogwarts prepares to come to a close, with only four months to go. With the Ministry watching him like a hawk and the Dark and Light side both questioning his loyalty, Draco Malfoy finds himself not only questioning his sanity, but also his loyalty to his newly found friends and his dead wife, who has been gone for a month. But is it that she's only dead to herself?_**

**Actual blurb will probably say something like: _In war, there are only two outcomes: the people who live to die, and the people who die to their lives..._**

**Please respond with your views and suggestions. I hope to see you all very soon and MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!**


End file.
